One of the main reasons people are put off Meditation is the amount of time they think need to set aside.
And you know what, I’m the same sometimes! Despite being a Meditation instructor, I always have things on my to do list that need my attention, or my energy, my focus and in general – things that just need me!
And in the end, setting aside time for Meditating, when I'm not doing very much – can feel a bit counterproductive. And no one wants to feel lazy, or useless or as if they are wasting their time.
So, Meditation is pushed to the “I might do it later” list and then forgotten about....
Until we start feeling overwhelmed by stress symptoms, and then guilty for not doing more for our mental health.
The easiest way to prevent the guilt and delays is to begin reframing our thoughts around Meditation.
Reframing is a mindful strategy that people can used to help adjust their mindset. It often involves focusing on more positive thoughts, but it can also be centred on changing excessively high expectations to be more realistic.
When we reframe challenging negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to distress, we are learning to help ourselves feel better. By learning to recognise when our thoughts or beliefs are distorted, and actively work to change these thoughts to be more positive and realistic, we can feel more resilient and optimistic when faced with stress.
And the easiest way to reframe thoughts of Meditation, mindfulness and self care, is to focus on what you will gain.
And the good news is even just a few minutes of Meditation or mindful breathing has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms, promote emotional health and self awareness, improve concentration ability and memory, whilst also reducing blood pressure, improving sleep quality and reducing pain symptoms.
So there really is no reason to avoid a simple Meditation when there are so many mental, emotional and physical benefits to gain.
Consider for a moment: How do you want to feel? and take a few now minutes to deep breath from down in your belly, and exhale all the way out to really let go of your breath and be refreshed.
Still struggling with to what to do for Meditation?
Ready to take a few minutes for mindfulness but unsure what to do?
Our 5 Mindful Minutes begins January 1st, helping you each step of the way with easy to follow mini meditations to help lower your stress levels and help you feel mentally clearer and calmer.
References
- Verywell Mind, How Cognitive Reframing Works (2023) Available from https://bit.ly/47X2ju5 (Accessed 30 November 2023)
- Fortune Well, How long you need to Meditate to see results for your brain and body (2023) Available from https://bit.ly/3GlVhn1 (Accessed 30 November 2023)
- Healthline, 12 Science Based Benefits Of Meditation (2023) Available from https://bit.ly/3uKyezs (Accessed 30 November 2023)