If you're like me before I started meditating, you're probably thinking "Who has time to sit down for 10-60 minutes a day just breathing when there are so many things to get done and so many other more important things to do?" or "Meditating looks so strange...I don't get it".
Well, you're right. Meditating does look pretty strange at first and probably makes no sense to someone who's never done it before. It is the most simple thing in the world, yet everyone who does it says it's the greatest thing in the world; how is that possible?
Well, it IS the most simple thing in the world, yet it is one of the greatest things in the world for your health, which is why, in my opinion, it is simply magical.
I'm not going to bore you with all the facts or research done to prove how beneficial meditating is to your mental and physical well-being (you can look that up for yourself if interested), but I will share with you a personal experience instead.
I mentioned previously that I've dealt with anxiety and OCD, and still currently deal with a more mild form of both, and I can honestly say that meditation (along with healthy eating, a regular workout routine, yoga, and a loving family and friends) has saved my life. When my OCD was at it's worst a few years ago, and my brain was constantly replaying terrible, terrifying thoughts, my therapist recommended that I start meditating for just 15 minutes a day. At that point, I was willing to try anything, but I never thought that just taking the time to focus on my breathing could help me at all, let alone as much as it did.
I've come a LONG way since then, but I can say that meditating has contributed tremendously to my recovery. Anyone who struggles with anxiety and OCD knows that at times it seems impossible to quiet your mind or slow your heart rate, to the point where you almost feel paralyzed, but meditation has helped me do just that. Meditating helps you calm down, focus, quiet your mind, slow down your heart rate, learn how to breathe properly, and learn how to live in the present. Most importantly though, it helps you quiet all the nonsense thoughts traveling in and out of your brain daily (mostly everyone experiences this, not just someone with OCD), and helps you realize your true thoughts, potential, feelings, and self. If meditating helped someone like me quiet my mind and let go of all my fearful thoughts, imagine what it can do for someone who's never dealt with a mental illness but is simply stressed out and always on the run-amazing right?!
Meditating is now a part of my daily routine; I meditate for about ten minutes when I wake up and ten minutes before I go to bed- no matter how tired I am or how many things I have to do. All I do is sit cross legged with my back straight, and focus on breathing in deeply and slowly and out deeply and slowly. I also repeat different mantras in my head to stay focused. This helps me stay positive, grateful, focused, and excited about this beautiful life I am able to live. Many times while meditating, I picture my dream life and tell myself that I am able to create it; this helps me stay focused on my goals every day and stay motivated to take daily steps to achieve my dream life. And when life gets too crazy, (between trying to balance school, work, homework, spending time with family and friends, preparing healthy meals, working on my blog and Instagram, and making time to train and reach my fitness goals) meditating reminds me to enjoy it all and gives me the calm I need, even if it's just for twenty minutes a day. Most importantly, it helps me control my anxiety to the point where I barely even experience anxiety anymore!
Even though meditating does take a lot of practice, and it takes a while before you see the results, it is definitely worth it in the long run. Everyone these days is so distracted by social media, television, school, work, and the stress of their daily lives that they forget to just live in the present moment and enjoy it. Whether you suffer from some sort of mental illness or not, meditation can be incredibly beneficial for you. In our world today, it is almost impossible to find someone who doesn't experience stress, fear, or terrible thoughts-and meditation can help you control all three. I recommend meditation to EVERYONE- because who doesn't want to create their dream life and be more successful, fearless, positive, focused, calm, and excited about this beautiful life we are lucky to live? The benefits of meditation are truly endless, but no matter how much I try to describe it, you won't understand it until you experience it for yourself. So go ahead and try it; tell me how you feel after a few weeks- I promise you won't regret it!
xxx
Rachel
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