On Meditation, Again

Remember how I said I couldn’t meditate? I was wrong. As I wrote in this post, during LIFTED I had a breakthrough. I finally realized that there is no right or wrong way to meditate and that everything I was experiencing was totally normal and part of meditating. Once it sunk in that I wasn’t a meditation outlier (read: failure), I was able to trust the process and myself to take me where I needed to go during each session, finally beginning to enjoy the benefits of meditation I’ve heard so much about. Do I sound way too woo-woo yet?

If only I had checked out Headspace's IG long ago, I would have known what everyone has been telling us since always, we're all unique. My bad.

My thoughts certainly wander each and every time, but I have learned to be comfortable with that and with reining them in each time they go astray. It’s pretty interesting to see where they go and makes me aware of what is actually weighing on me, however deeply it is usually buried. I have also gotten over my preoccupation with the Headspace app voice reminding me of the Geico Gecko. (Listen: Andy (Headspace voice) vs. Geico Gecko You hear it right?!) It was so distracting that I had to pause a session to look up whether it was in fact the same person or if they were at least related. They aren’t, but how crazy would it have been if they were? It would have really opened up a whole new world of marketing possibilities: “We’ll save you money and your sanity.” But I digress…

I have missed a few days here and there because #lifehappens, but overall, it’s become a pretty regular practice for me and I really enjoy it. I’ve found that the middle of the day works best for me. If I wake up and then close my eyes to basically ten minutes of silence, I’ll be back asleep in no time and that would just end with missed workouts, meetings, etc. No bueno. What’s more, those minutes in the middle of the day, the height of the crazy, are when refocusing is most beneficial for me. Slowing down and physically turning away from my computer (somehow having the tech and work physically behind me allows me to relax much more), let me catch my breath and return to work reenergized and ready to tackle the rest of the day. Eating my words has never been so satisfying.

At 5' tall, struggling to reach things happens on the regular. Just as with meditation, I always find a way (and a shelf to climb). #deep [Source]

If you want to try your hand at meditating for the first, or millionth time, I highly recommend Headspace. (I was not asked to say that.)

I love this. [Source]

Have you ever found you could do something you were sure you couldn’t?