You Don’t Have to be a Yogi to Meditate

Back when I was a kid, whenever someone would say “meditation”, I’d instantly think of someone sitting on a fancy cushion, wearing monk robes, and chanting “OHHMMM”. I had this preconceived idea meditation was only for Buddhists or those twisting themselves into complicated yoga postures. 

Turns out, that’s not true at all. 

When college came and my anxiety and stress levels hit an all-time high, I started to read more about meditation and mindfulness. I realized that meditation was just stopping and focusing on your breathing– nothing more! Meditation can help when we’re feeling unfocused. Many things in our hectic lives interrupt our concentration and focus– cell phones, social media, email. 

Try a mini meditation to boost focus and calm your mind whenever you’re feeling stressed. There’s no fancy preparation or technique to follow and you can do them anywhere that’s quiet. 

1  |  Stop what you’re doing and mentally set aside what you’re doing. All you need is one minute. It’s more of a pause than a stop. 

2  |  Close your eyes and relax your eyelids.

3  |  Breathe normally and pay attention to the sensation of your breath entering and leaving your body. Breathe a bit slower and more deeply than you normally do. 

4  |  Inhale and exhale three full times. 

5  |  Slowly open your eyes and resume your tasks at hand. 

That’s it! Easy as that, with no flexibility needed ;-) (except of the mind!) Try doing a mini meditation once or twice a day and see if it helps you de-stress. 

 

Post inspired by Zenhabits.