4 Tips to Integrate Meditation into Your Life

The habits of a lifetime are the ones that improve our lives. Keeping us safe, healthy and strong.

And meditation should be one of them!

As we get more and more lost in the need to complete tasks, stare at our phones and care about what others think of us; it can feel impossible to take a break.

Meditation is that break.

Over time, the practice helps to reduce anxiety, stress and inject a little more happiness into your life.

But how can you introduce it into your life?

That's what we're here for — keep reading!

What is Meditation?

Meditation is the practice of concentrating on your breath to relax and quiet the mind. The idea of meditation is to try to not think. To only listen to the breath and nothing else — which is much more difficult than it sounds.

You can think of it like an exercise — but for the mind.

Why is meditation becoming so popular?

The idea of meditation is quite simple — but the affects that it can have on HOW you think are incredible.

This is why it's becoming so popular.

Leading entrepreneurs are championing meditation as their number 1 tool — and even making it mandatory for their staff! Because, even 5 minutes of meditation can be the difference between making a good decision or a bad one.

This is because when you give the thinking mind a break, you're allowing the brain time to digest and absorb information. 

Meditation is the antidote for hustle culture — it recognises the need to rest when things are hard, instead of soldiering on. 

Here are some simple ways to get started. It’s easier than you think:

Go Outside

If you have never tried meditation before, taking a walk outside in nature is a great way to start.

The calm in the air, the sounds of nature — it puts the mind at ease. 

We spend so much of our lives indoors, even more so with the pandemic! But there is no better way to hit the reset button than going outside.

By listening to the sounds of nature, you instantly encourage that mind-body connection!

Now stop, and take it all in — there... you're meditating. 

It's that simple!

Start Small          

Let's jump back to the ripe age of learning how to cycle.

You'd look at the older kids, cycling away and wonder how they do it.

The idea of meditating for 30 minutes will take you back to that moment.

It's a distant, but attainable goal. 

But the thing is... you could be meditating and you don't realise yet. 

Writing down three gratitude’s every day, taking a minute check in with how you feel, taking deep breaths, and doing yoga — they are all meditation... and a great place to start.

So, start with what you have, and build on that — the rest will come!

Consider Apps

To start getting into the habit of meditating — apps are a great place to start. 

My favourite is Insight Timer, because when I first tried meditating, I set a reminder at 8 am every morning to remind me.

Insight Timer has thousands of meditations that are free. Guided, music, paid courses... you name it! But if you prefer to keep things simple, you can use the timer tool.

Other highly recommended apps are Calm and Headspace, as you have no doubt seen on Netflix.

Be Patient

The affect meditation has on your life are subtle. And take time.

This is perhaps the biggest challenge of all — because everything from your Amazon delivery to how you contact your friends is instant these days.

Meditation is more of a lifetime habit than a quick win. It's a slow process, so the results require you to really pay attention to even realise they exist.

This is the goal of meditation — to pay attention to subtle things in your body and mind.

But eventually, you'll start to notice that you don't feel as stressed, your shoulders are more relaxed, your mind more clear — and you feel happier. 

These changes can spread out over months — but are profound. Promise 😉

Time to Switch Off!

What will you try to welcome meditation in your life?

I'm super curious to know — let me know in the comments!