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Meditation 101 | Mental Health

Meditation 101 | Mental Health

 

What can I say about meditation? In today’s world meditation is like a magical cure for a lot of today’s problems but what is meditation exactly and how do you get started?  Meditation is a lot of things but let’s talk about what it’s not. It’s not easy, and it’s probably not something you ever thought you needed to do. Simply stated, there are a whole host of meditation benefits (read them here if you want to), and what every individual gets from meditation is different. I got a better sense of focus, and better sleep as a direct result of meditation, and When i’m not meditating i struggle with both! Below i’ve listed some of my tops do’s and don’ts related to my meditation journey, that can help you along on yours as well.

 

My top tips for meditation are:

1) Do it everyday

Meditation is one of those things that takes a lot of practice. I have been meditating regularly for the bulk of this year and I still slip up sometimes when I’ve skipped a few days. Having a specific time and spot for your meditation can help you get into the habit of daily meditation and it will make your journey much easier.

2) Start with 5 seconds

I know what you’re thinking “5 seconds? That’s nothing” it seems that way until you sit down to start your practice. One of the hardest things about meditation is noticing your thinking. Most of the time you are having thoughts and don’t even notice them. For a person who has never truly meditated before the thought can be difficult to stop. 5 – seconds is achievable by even the most tragic overthinkers, and as you grow you’ll be able to go longer and longer.

3) Do yoga/exercise

Yoga and exercise are great ways to start your meditation journey, in fact if you work out regularly you probably meditate and don’t even know. I personally am not a fan of the Gym so i started with some self-paced yoga and breathing exercises instead.

4) Morning meditation

Meditating in the morning is a great option. Waking up just 3-5 minutes earlier is super easy to do and can help you get your day off to a great start. Meditation is great for focus so starting your day off with it can help you be more productive at work, and improve attention span (both of which I needed badly.)

 

So those are my top tips for meditation, but before you begin your journey, let me cover a few things that didn’t work for me:

1) Laying in bed

Don’t do it sis, I’m telling you! If you lay down in the bed and try to meditate, especially in the morning, you will fall back asleep! Unless your specific goal is better sleep, you should make sure you are fully awake when doing meditation because a tranquil mind can help you fall asleep better. The last thing you need is to meditate them fall asleep and miss work! ( I did it 2 times)

2) End of day meditation

Meditating at the end of the day is difficult for me. You may have a better go at it, but Especially at the beginning, I don’t recommend it. By the end of the day you’ll have so much on your mind it will be hard to clear your thoughts. I recommend morning so since the day just started you’re likely to have less on your mind, and meditation will come a little easier.

3) Meditation after eating

Can you say itis sis? It happened to me every time I tried, and it didn’t matter meal size. Try to be satiated when you meditate but try not to do it right after a meal, go for a walk to boost your energy first and wait at least a couple hours after a meal. I meditate before I eat in the morning and that works well for me.

 

So those are my top do’s and don’ts of meditation, as I know it. Everyone is different so these tips aren’t the end all be all, but just some things I found out along my journey. Remember that every second you spend meditating is improving your well being no matter if it’s only a few, and that good meditation takes practice and patience.

 

Good Luck on your meditation journey sis, and don’t forget to live your best healthy life!

Xoxo

Nikki

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