Did you Meditate Today?

Meditation is all the rage and for good reason. #Celebrities, Business Men and #Women, Moms, and even kids are taking the time to meditate.  Whether it is for 20 minutes or just 2 minutes a day.  Meditation is the secret to a happy and more productive life.  The benefits of meditation are endless both personally and professionally.

I meditate daily and love it.  I am so grateful that I started and have definitely seen the benefits.  Like most people, we often pick up a hobby or activity because we are searching for an improvement or a new way to do things.  Stress plays a big part in us choosing to find new avenues. It is not always monumental stress, but often a desire to find an answer to an everyday life situation.

Meditation will do just that for you. It can relieve stress, fear, frustration and bring a sense of calm and peace to your day.  Through meditation, we become quiet in our brain and find stillness for a few minutes.  This stillness enables us to become centered, responding to situations with more awareness. It can help us to notice our triggers and choosing how we want to react to them, thinking more clearly and deciding before we act.  

With meditation we experience moments of #creativity, compassion, empathy and love.  Taking away the worry and anxiety we often carry. 

Besides the emotional benefits there are #health benefits, such as reduced joint pain and lower blood pressure to name a few.  Science tells us that it is the act of sitting in thought, that offers the #health benefits, changing the structure of the brain and increasing the gray matter.  It is the gray matter that is associated with stress reduction and emotional stability.  

How do you begin? It is easy and there are many variations.  But you can start by sitting still with your back straight, take a few deep breaths, and then settle into a steady flow of relaxed breathing.  Become present in the moment, either by reciting a mantra or if your mind begins to wander, go back to your breath for stillness.  The more you practice meditation, the easier you will find it is to sit still without your mind wandering.  
  
Do you have the time?  You may say you don't have the 10 or 15 minutes to sit still. But, start small. As with everything in life, it is about taking the initial steps. You will begin to see the benefits and enjoy the stillness.  Your few minutes will grow to 5, then 10, you may even begin to meditate twice a day, once in the morning and later in the evening.  I started to meditate when I began listening to the #Oprah-Deepak 21 Day meditation series.  I loved it and still listen to them.  I often meditate on a walk and although it is not the suggested method of sitting in a chair, the sense of calm I experience opens my mind for more creativity, peace and intuitive thought to handle whatever life throws at me professionally or personally.

Give it a shot. I promise, it will be the best ten minutes you experience.  Let me know if you meditate and your experience.  

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