![]() ![]() We could always meditate to reset ourselves before our last work meeting or after we drop the kids off at school. Meditation could be nice to do first thing in the morning before our day begins or at night in bed. It doesn’t matter when (or where) we meditate, so choose whatever time works best. The best time to meditate is whenever we can. ![]() Or we could tack it onto an existing routine, like every time we shower or brush our teeth. It might be helpful to schedule meditation sessions like an exercise class or appointment. ![]() Research shows that 30 days of Headspace reduces stress by a third and improves satisfaction with life. We’ll feel more and more benefits the more we practice. But even completing one meditation can lead to a reduction in mind wandering. Ideally, we meditate a few times a week or daily. But it’s easiest to get started knowing these meditation basics: It’ll get easier to let them go and “get out of our heads” to be more engaged in what we’re doing, whether we’re spending time with family, making time for self-care, or working against a deadline. The more we practice, the more we can see thoughts for what they are: just thoughts. Then gently shift our focus away from it and back onto our breath - to let the thought go. Meditation trains us to notice the traffic without chasing or fighting it - just to let the thought come. Other times, we see a roadblock ahead and try to resist it, like we do when we think or feel something uncomfortable. ![]() Sometimes we see a flashy car and chase after it, kind of like when we get caught up in analyzing or judging a thought or when we get lost in a daydream. How do we do this? Let’s think of thoughts like traffic in the mind, always zipping by. Rather than trying to stop our thoughts, we practice letting thoughts come and go. But that’s not really how the mind works, and neither does meditation. People might associate meditation with sitting in silence and stopping all of our thoughts and feelings to become calm. Doing this helps us become more aware of our thoughts, act more compassionately toward ourselves and others, and connect with the present moment. We take time out of our busy days to sit, breathe, and try to remain focused on our breath. Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with our mind. ![]()
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