As women, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Between work, family, and balancing all of our responsibilities, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and anxious. That's because we are spinning through life, and not taking time to slow down and live it. Meditation is a powerful tool that can help bring balance, ease anxiety, and bring a sense of calm into our lives.
In this blog post, I'll explore how meditation can benefit everyone, particularly women who struggle with anxiety, and I'll provide some tips on how to get started with a meditation practice.
Meditation Connects You with the Present Moment
One of the biggest benefits of meditation is that it connects you with the present moment. When we’re anxious, it’s easy to get lost in concerns about the future or regrets about the past. However, meditation helps us to ground ourselves in the present moment and focus on our breathing, which can calm our minds and ease anxiety.
To get started with meditation:
- find a quiet, comfortable place to sit
- set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes
- close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and focus your attention on your breath as it moves in and out of your body.
- when your mind wanders (and it will), simply notice the thought, let it go, and return your attention to your breath.
Meditation Helps You Build Resilience
Another benefit of meditation is that it helps to build resilience. With regular practice, meditation can train the mind to bounce back from difficult situations and handle stress more effectively. By sitting with our emotions and observing them without judgment, we learn to regulate our emotional responses and become more centered and grounded.
To build resilience through meditation, try a guided meditation focused on gratitude or compassion. These types of meditations can help to cultivate positive emotions, which can then be called upon during difficult times.
Meditation Helps You Build Self-Awareness
Meditation also helps to build self-awareness, which is crucial for managing anxiety. By bringing our attention to the present moment, we become aware of our thought patterns and emotions. In turn, this can help us identify anxiety triggers and develop healthy coping strategies.
To build self-awareness through meditation, try a body scan meditation. This type of meditation involves scanning the body from head to toe and noticing any areas of tension or discomfort. By shining a light on these areas, we can learn to release tension and build awareness of our physical sensations.
Meditation Helps You Cultivate a Sense of Calm
Finally, regular meditation practice can help you cultivate a sense of calm and relaxation in your everyday life. With practice, you may find that you’re able to bring the sense of peace you feel during meditation into other moments of your life. This can have a profound impact on your overall sense of well-being and reduce feelings of anxiety.
To cultivate a sense of calm through meditation, try incorporating it into your daily routine. Set aside 10 minutes each morning or evening to meditate, and try to carry the sense of calm you feel into your day.
My favourite meditations...
Are located within the 'Calm' app. I used to search the internet and play CD meditations, however stumbled across 'Calm' one day when researching apps. I enjoyed the free content they offered, and then one day decided to take the plunge and subscribe to it - it opened up a whole world of beautiful meditations, music, and special guest presenters such as Jay Shetty. I am in no way affiliated with this app, just a user of it who loves the ease of finding all sorts of fabulous meditations in one place. Click here if you want to take a look at the free content.
Remember....
Meditation is a powerful tool that can help you ease anxiety and cultivate a sense of calm in your everyday life. By focusing on the present moment, building resilience, cultivating self-awareness, and relaxing the mind and body, you can reduce feelings of anxiety and increase your overall sense of well-being.
Try incorporating meditation into your daily routine and see what changes it brings to your life.
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