How to Incorporate Meditation into your Daily Routine
By now you have likely heard that daily meditation can result in many positive benefits, both emotionally and physically. We wanted to further explore the benefits of meditation, as well as different ways to make it part of our routine. Keep reading for some ideas to make this practice part of your everyday life!
Guided Approach - The Calm App
In the past I’ve often thought that meditation wasn’t for me. I felt that if I was going to invest the time in something wellness-related it should be a challenging workout with a high calorie burn! However, as I continued to read more about meditation I realized that I could be more open-minded and that I was making assumptions without giving it a try.
As I explored the benefits of meditation, I made the decision to give it a shot and incorporate it into my routine for just 10 minutes or so each day. Based on how I prefer to learn and incorporate new habits, I knew my best chance of sticking with it would be guided via an app.
I researched several options and eventually settled on the Calm app, which “brings meditation to the user in an easy and effortless way” per the website. I was willing to invest in an app I thought would be effective, so I signed up and paid $69.99 for the year.
I started with Jeff Warren’s “How to Meditate” course which included a short, guided meditation each day for 30 days. As someone new to meditation this helped me understand the approach, mindset, importance of proper breathing, and what meditation entails. It laid the foundation for meditation as a beginner and much of the content resonated with me. Also, it was a reminder to take things slow and not get frustrated if it takes time to feel comfortable; it takes time and practice but each day you are making progress.
Another cool feature of this app is the number of guest narrators. For example, there is an excellent 5 part series titled “Train Your Mind” recorded by LeBron James, and meditations I liked within this series include “Managing Emotions” and “A Champion’s Mindset”. I thought it was so interesting to listen to one of the greatest athletes of all time and have insight into his thought process, and how he has developed the ability to focus when the pressure is high.
I enjoyed listening to a Masterclass titled “Stoic Wisdom for Modern Life” narrated by Ryan Holiday, who is known for his work in stoicism. Other guest narrators include Camila Cabello, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Rege-Jean Page.
An Unguided Approach to Meditation
One day after high school, I remember grabbing one of my mother’s yoga VHS tapes and going up to my room to practice. It was Rodney Yee’s A.M/P.M Yoga for Beginners. Although there was a yoga workout involved, it was my first introduction to focusing on my breath and clearing my mind. I was learning how to detach myself from the noise around me and within my mind, which was my first step into meditating - even if I didn’t realize it at the time.
Admittedly, I haven’t practiced meditation throughout my life but there are times when I catch myself taking a moment to clear my mind and focus on my breath. How many times do we let our worries and obsessive thoughts cloud our mind? Sometimes it is nice to hit the reset button and elimintate the noise, even if it is for just a few moments.
A book I found helpful in getting back into mindful meditation was “Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics” by Dan Harris and Jeff Warren. You can find it here, it’s an easy read and it gives helpful tips and meditations that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
A few meditations from the book that I have been enjoying are “concentration meditation” and “walking meditation”. The book outlines them in much more detail but the basics revolve around breath and concentration.
There is so much free content to take advantage of, and you can explore what works best for you. Visit your local library where you can find books, audio content and much more. You can also find great content on Amazon Music or Spotify.
Meditation is such a personal experience and what works for one person might not appeal to another. I find it hard to keep on a consistent schedule when it comes to meditating but I do find there is benefit to just taking a few moments out of your day to clear your mind.
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