Meditation 101 Why We All Need It

If you aren't familiar with meditation, it may be one of those things that you refer to as something a hippy or true yogi does. It's one of those things that because you know nothing about it you make fun of because everyone's afraid of the unknown. I first became familiarized with meditation through a book I was reading. The author spoke so highly on how it changed the way she thought that I thought maybe I should give it a try. As someone who struggles with anxiety I had always searched for the best outlet to ease my nerves. Working out was and is one of my best outlets but I run into situations where I can't lace up my sneakers and hit the gym, so I needed something more.

Meditation, for me, has become a new way of life. It isn't something you have to do in a yoga class and grab a green juice after. You don't need to grow out your hair and become a vegan. Meditation is for everyone, all ages, races, genders and ethnicities. Meditation is a way that you can quiet your mind and let your soul speak. As I stated before, working out has always been my temple. If I was having a bad day or what felt like an anxious one the gym made me feel back to normal. But what if you can't get a workout in? What if you're on your lunch break and feel like you need a pick me up to get you through the day? Well sure a glass of wine sounds nice too, but truly meditation is the key.

The best part about meditating is that it's "you" time. I talk a lot about you time with my clients. It is time you set aside for yourself as often as you can, to enjoy moments with your most important relationship, you. In such a chaotic world it's easy to let days or even weeks go by before you have allowed yourself to be still and do something for yourself. Meditation is a form of you time. Just as a spa day or a walk on the beach, even a cup of tea is all considered you time. You can allot yourself minutes even hours of meditation to bring you back to your truth and your resting state.

One of my favorite places to meditate, you may ask? In my car. No, not while I am driving obviously! But think about how often you are in your car. Driving to work and back, pick up the kids for school, to pick up take out, I mean we are all constantly going. Your car is a great place to meditate when you need a few minutes to keep your head right. I am typically alone in my car, so right there there's no distractions from others. I simply close my eyes in my parking space or my driveway and put on a guided meditation to block out the noise. Within only a few minutes I feel so much better and am ready to continue on with my day.

Meditation 101:
How do you do it?
When I first started out I listened to guided meditations. I find that listening to someone else guide me into my quiet time is helpful than sometimes trying to block out the world on your own.

How long do I do it for?
You can truly meditate for however long you'd like! When I feel super anxious I will take a 10 minute  break from whatever I am doing, even at work and meditate. If you have more free time and want to get into a deeper state of meditation look for a longer guided meditation to try.

Where should I do it?
You can literally meditate anywhere! If you are listening to a guided one all you really need is headphones to block out the world. I love to meditate in my car and before bed if I am restless. In fact, I introduced meditation to my boyfriend for the nights he can't fall asleep. He is out like a light within minutes.

Where can I find guided meditations?
There are wonderful apps you can download just for meditation. You can also YouTube it. Mostly everything is on YouTube and if you like a certain person's guided meditation you can find their channel on their, or their website. My favorite guided meditations are from Melissa Ambrosini.