Meditation, a call for your tips!

Personally, I use alcohol to cope during the holidays!  🥃🍹🍸 Cheers!

I use meditation to cope with every day and holidays are no different. While meditation is known to lower stress and levels of depression, it can also positively create physical changes in the brain that can protect a person from mental health issues in the future.

For meditation to be really effective, I found that you need to do it regularly. It’s good to have a ritual to ensure that you do it every day and the best time is what works for you. Morning works best for me because I like how it can set the tone for the day, although, I also make a point to meditate just before bed. Never a good sleeper, meditation seems to calm me down and at least gives me a quality rest.

Having a regular schedule is ideal, but let’s face it, life happens, so be prepared to be flexible.

There are many meditation tools and equipment one can use to enhance the experience, but I tend to keep it simple and will take advantage of a quiet garden, a stop by the seaside, dim the lights in a comfy spot in my home, or meditate any place that gives me complete focus. To avoid external distractions, I will sometimes close my eyes when listening to soothing music and embrace the darkness (or silence).

Meditation can be very powerful, so, I ask you…. Why wouldn’t you give meditation a try when it can change the course of your life for good? I have friends who have no time or interest in meditating. I just smile because I know what they are missing.

I use meditation to cope with every day and holidays are no different. While meditation is known to lower stress and levels of depression, it can also positively impact physical changes in your brain that can protect you from mental health issues in the future.

For meditation to be really effective, I found that I need to do it regularly and the best time for me is mornings because I like how it sets the tone for the day, although, I also make a point to meditate just before bed. Never a good sleeper, meditation seems to calm me down and at least gives me a quality rest.

Having a regular schedule is ideal, but let’s face it, life happens, so be prepared to be flexible.

There also are many meditation tools and equipment you can use to enhance the experience, but I tend to keep it simple. I will take advantage of a quiet garden, a stop by the seaside, dim the lights in a comfy spot in my home, or meditate any place that gives me complete focus. To avoid external distractions, I will sometimes close my eyes when listening to soothing music and embrace the darkness (or silence in some cases).

Meditation can be very powerful, so, I ask you…. Why wouldn’t you give meditation a try when it can change the course of your life for good? I have friends who have no time or interest in meditating. I just smile because I know what they are missing.

It really helps to take at least 10 minutes to just be your breath, letting everything else to fall away. It promotes gentleness with yourself, the best self care potion. Use an app, like insight timer (free) to manage your time and keep you honest.

Enjoy yourself.

A quick and easy way I integrate some mindful meditation into my busy day - especially during the holidays, is to use my Fitbit's two minute breathing exercise in which I synchronize my breathing with the circle around the heart on the app.  I sit still and inhale and exhale on cue deeply while focusing on the growing circle and the collapsing circle.  Afterward, I feel relaxed and refreshed.

I like UCLA mindful app on my phone, from the Mindful Awareness Research Center. It has guided meditations as short as 5-6 minutes. Breathing techniques can be very helpful for relaxation.