How meditation helps me

I’ve always thought of meditation as sitting cross legged on the floor with your arms out and your forefinger touching your thumb on both hands.

A low humming noise sometimes comes into the picture and aromatic soothing scents fill the room, which is decorated all colourful and bright with things bought from the hippy shop down town.

However, until recently I figured that there are so many different ways to meditate and my gosh has it helped me out.

My days are spent – as most of us experiencing adulthood – juggling one hundred and one activities at once. I go to work, have about five different writing projects on the go as well as wanting to go out, do things, shop, tidy all the usual stuff that comes with the life of a girl at twenty three.

When I get home from work at one thirty each day and sit at my desk to write in my break I can usually handle half an hour before my brain turns to fuzz and I either need strong coffee or a nap before I can begin doing anything productive at all.

A week ago I discovered the app ‘Head space’. I was in one of these blank moments when my Word document was empty and my inspiration was elsewhere when I decided to sit down and begin day one of my meditation app.

I lay on my bed ignoring his instructions to sit and opted for the ten minute session rather than three (what can you achieve in three minutes?) and began.

He took me through breathing exercises, noticing your physical body, listening to sounds to ground you in the moment as well as letting your mind go off to wherever it desired.

He described thoughts as traffic that you should allow – watch – but not necessarily address all.

I freaked when he would guide my mind back knowing somehow that it had wandered, which it always had, and I felt amazing afterwards when he asked me to think about this.

Not only did I feel totally relaxed and found the exercises calming, but I took just ten minutes away from the day, ten minutes to myself, ten minutes out of life to completely revitalize my brain and I returned to my laptop with a fresh new mind to begin the next task. I found it incredible that this had happened in just ten minutes.

Now I’m on day seven and I take the time each afternoon when I have attempted as much work as I can manage before my brain switches off to lay down and mediate for ten minutes. It is amazing how much ten minutes can make a difference and I am benefiting more each day. I am sure what I write post-meditation is much better than the stuff I struggle to produce before!

Whether it’s an app, a CD or revisiting exercises that you have done previously, if you’re getting stressed in the adulthood frenzy that is life, then make ten minutes in the day for you to meditate and feel the benefits that are sure to come.