Steps to make meditation a daily habit
- Choose a time in the day to practice – I find that first thing in the morning works well but some days when everyone else is up and awake I adapt and meditate after my evening yoga practice. You might find that your lunch break or a quiet time mid morning works best for you. Don’t get frustrated if you miss a day or if you have to change the time in the day around. We are energy, energy flows and moves and we need to be adaptable. As you make it a daily habit, it will become as routine as brushing your teeth or changing your socks.
- Set a time. Start with 2 minutes and gradually increase to 5 to start. This is very manageable even in the busiest of schedules. Then with practice you will find that you can sit longer holding your own space working towards 20 minutes and longer. Don’t rush, be patient.
- Find a place to meditate. It may be as you lie in bed, you might find a space in your bedroom, on a cushion or a chair or a quieter space in your home. The beauty of meditation is you can practice anywhere. If you take a bus to school or work you can practice on the bus, sit on a park bench or at the beach. Let your body feel connected, observe the sensations in your body, let your hands rest easily. Make your body comfortable this will be unique to you. A cushion is perfect but some people sit comfortably on the floor.
- Focus on your breath. Become aware of the sensations of your breath as the air enters the nostrils and flows down to the throat, lungs and abdomen. Follow the breath back out as it leaves the body. It can be helpful for some to count the breath in 1,2,3,4 and out 1,2,3,4,5,6, you may find it easier to count the breaths Inhale 1,exhale 1, inhale 2, exhale 2… Or sit quietly with the sensations of the breath. Observe the fluctuations in the mind like the waves at the top of the ocean and as you go inwards the mind is quieter, like the stillness in the deep ocean. If you start with this you can then add on to incorporate mindfulness in to more parts of your life. If you find it difficult to sit with your breath, use an app like calm, insight timer etc. There are so many resources now and they are timed already for you.
- Remember meditation is practice not perfect. If you are feeling anxious or frustrated, remind yourself it takes time, stay with short periods of time until your get more comfortable.
Why meditate daily
- It can reduce unnecessary stress in the mind and body
- You will be better able to control your emotions and feelings
- It will help you slow down
- It will help you make clearer life decisions
- Helps tackle addictions
- Enhances self awareness
- Lengthens attention span
- Living a mindful life is a happier life
- It is free, you can do it anywhere and it works 🙂