In order to use meditation to deal with stress, you should start with just 10 minutes and consider it “sitting mindfully in stillness.” As you get the hang of meditating, you can gradually increase the length of time in which you do it. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Set aside time for meditation. If you don’t schedule it in and take it as seriously as your other appointments. You’ll have a difficult time creating a daily routine.
- Simply focus on your breathing. Bringing your attention to your breath is the first step to quieting the mind. When frustration and outside thoughts creep in, bring your attention back to your breath.
- Dedicate a meditation space. If possible, choose one location to meditate. You want to feel at ease in this space.
- Listen to instructional audio. One of my favorites being Holosync.
People always tell me they don’t have time to meditate. I tell them the story of my dentist. When I was a youngster I asked him whether I had to floss all of my teeth. “Only the ones you want to keep,” he replied.
I also say a day without meditation is like going to bed without brushing your teeth. The damage of the day is there. Stress is like food left between your molars. We must brush and floss out the stress daily to prevent cell damage. If you have questions about starting a meditation practice, leave them in the comments below. If you have a meditation practice, I’d love to hear about it. Share your tips in the comments below.
