In fact, meditation can be practiced by anyone and has been proven to help in a wide variety of ways. It is an excellent tool for improving your mental health, and it is easier to get started than you think!
Benefits of Meditation
Why do people meditate? There are a lot of reasons. Some everyday benefits people experience includes:
- Stress management
- Self-awareness
- Improving focusing
- Processing negative emotions
- Improving creativity
Meditation has also been studied by everyone from academics, to Fortune 500 companies, to the US military. Studies have shown that meditation helps your health, increases attention spans, and even reduces age-related memory loss. There is no question that it is beneficial in a variety of ways.
Starting Small and Scheduling the Time
“But I don’t have the time!!”
I get it. No one has the time for anything these days. Meditation sounds great, but who can set aside hours of their week to sit around and do nothing? Luckily meditation is not as time-consuming as you might expect. Starting with just a couple of minutes a day can substantially benefit your mindfulness, focus, and mental health.
The best way to develop the habit of meditation is to put it on your schedule. Set aside time to meditate before your morning shower, during a lunch break, or after the kids go to bed. Think of it as making an appointment with yourself – show up on time, ready to do the work of meditation. That way, you can get your meditation practice off the ground.
Meditation Resources
There is no better time to start practicing meditation. There are loads of resources to provide guided meditations, offer tips on mindfulness practices, or provide a soothing soundtrack. Some popular resources include:
YouTube videos: there is a ton of guided meditation videos or meditation practice tutorials on YouTube. With a bit of poking around, you should find a channel that fits your preferences.
Apps: of course, there is an app for that. Meditation and mindfulness apps can be found on both the Apple and Android app stores. Some apps cost money but should help you find exactly what you want.
Podcasts: meditation podcasts can provide a guided meditation or simply a soundtrack to help you relax.
Some people may feel that using a tool like an app to meditate feels like “cheating” – that misunderstands what meditation is about. This isn’t about proving anything. It is about clearing your thoughts and building mindfulness. Just because your approach to meditation may look different doesn’t make it “wrong.”
Becoming a Meditation Master
Though it may not look like it, meditation is a skill. Meditation experts spend their whole lives refining the control of their minds. Your meditation sessions may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, but with practice, you will develop mindfulness tools that get you a bit closer to personal enlightenment.
This story was made possible by our Community Partners Program. Thank you Didsbury Dental for helping to expand local news coverage in Alberta. Learn more.
