Why meditation?

So many people ask me this. Why meditation? How is that going to help me? Of course I can tell you the benefits of meditation. That meditation has been shown to help relieve stress, to help shift your perspective, to help improve patience. The list goes on and on…A quick google search will show you that research continues to show that meditation helps to improve your overall well being.

I can tell them that personally, meditation has helped me to manage my health by improving my self-awareness. It gives me time each day to connect with myself and what I may need that day. It allows me to be more patient with myself and those around me. It helps me to feel more present as I go through my day.

But I am not sure that is actually what people are asking. I think the real questions they are asking are… how is meditation going to help them with their personal day to day life? How can meditation help them manage their workload? Be more patient with their kids? Be more present with their spouse?

I always answer this question with a challenge. A challenge to spend a few minutes practicing meditation every day for one week. If you aren’t sure how to start, try listening to a short, guided meditation every day. Use this time to check in with yourself. Take note of how you feel as you go through your day. To notice if you are more aware of your breath, more present, more focused. Or maybe more aware of your stress levels as you navigate your responsibilities.

Usually, those who accept my challenge, return the next week with their own answer to “how can meditating help my day to day life?”

So, what do you think? Ready to accept my challenge? To invest a few minutes a day in yourself? If the answer is yes, I can even help you get started. Check out my podcast, Love Your Calm: mini meditations. It’s a free resource and a great place to start. You are so worth it.