Meditation

I know what you’re thinking, meditation, I’ve tried it - it doesn’t work for me, or, it’s ok but I just don’t have the time.

I didn’t like meditation when I first started either. I remember dabbling in it all through my breakfast radio producing days. I would be exhausted after the morning’s 4am starts, and would head home in the afternoon just wanting to go to sleep. Instead, my mind would be racing with the zillions of things I had to either organise for the next day’s show, or I’d be analysing what had taken place that day. If ever there was a time in my life I needed to calm my thoughts, it was then. I tried a few body scan meditations I found online but my mind was what the Buddhists like to call the ‘monkey mind’. This is a term that refers to being unsettled, restless or confused. Yep, that was me. When I first started to meditate, I remember watching my thoughts as I did it and thinking wow I have so many thoughts I can’t even remember the thought I had before this thought! After a few weeks I saw no change and was kind of bored. I also nearly fell asleep a few times. Ultimately, I found it relaxing but struggled to really see a benefit. 

So when did meditation actually start working? I remember this clearly. I had just finished my job in breakfast radio producing and was transitioning into podcasting. I had five weeks off between roles, and badly needing a break, I was off on a holiday with my family to Hawaii. A friend recommended I start doing different types of meditation to the ones I’d previously tried. She suggested meditations by NYT best selling authors Sharon Salzberg and Dr Joe Dispenza. So I thought what do I have to lose? Both these authors have literature on the different meditations they offer so I spent a lot of time researching what I was doing, and the scientific effects it was having on my brain. One thing that really stood out to me was we are not our thoughts. Thoughts happen based on your environment, your experiences, your beliefs and are often a repeat of past thoughts. So when you are in meditation it is important to look at your thoughts like clouds. Sit calmly and anchor your awareness to your breath. Observe the thoughts and feelings that arise without judging or becoming attached. Then gently let them pass like clouds in the sky. I spent every morning of my holiday doing these different guided meditations and ohhh boy..did I see a difference. I noticed how much happier I was, and how much clearer my mind was. I realised that I finally had the power to control my ‘monkey mind’. Meditation started having such a positive effect on me, that it became the first thing I looked forward to doing when I woke. It’s been three years now and I have not missed a day of meditation. It’s become part of my morning routine, just like brushing my teeth, or getting a coffee. The number one thing is, it is so important to find a style of meditation you love that really resonates with you. It took me a while to find mine, but when I did it was life changing. It’s also great to experiment from time to time and try new ones. Joni Pollard, Dr Joe Dispenza and Sharon Salzberg have all spoken to me about the benefits of meditation and all have fabulous meditations they have created that you can find online. Take it from me this is a practice that will change your life. Start with 15 minutes whenever you get a free moment. If mornings are too hard for you pick a time in the day that works. Find an area to meditate that you love, that’s quiet and peaceful. If you can, try and do it in that same area everyday. I have a beautiful space in my house that has now become my meditation space. The moment I step into that room it instantly makes me feel grounded and at peace. Keep persisting, meditation won’t change your life overnight, it’s something you need to work at and be consistent with. I promise you though if you do both these things, it’s been scientifically proven that you will start noticing a reduction in stress, anxiety and depression. It will make you more present too, strengthening your attention span and giving you a general sense of happiness that you may not have felt before.

I wouldn’t tell you guys this if I hadn’t experienced it myself.  Make this part of your daily routine, and let me know what changes have occurred for you.