Meditation

Meditation is a common trait among modern day renaissance men and it is one of the most beneficial things you can do daily. In Tim Ferriss’s book Tools of Titans, Tim interviews hundreds of the world’s most successful people and he discovered that 80 percent of them meditate on a regular basis. meditating can help you become more peaceful, more focused, less worried and more attentive to your life. It can also help you understand how your own mind works.

I think that this could be the best habit to form. Now I’m not saying that this is going to be easy. I still struggle with doing it daily but hopefully, after writing this post, I will take some of my own advice.

While starting the habit of meditating can be hard, there are things that you can do to make it easier. You can start off small to start and slowly increase your goals as you practice more. You should not expect to be good at first. If you lose focus do not get angry at yourself, just make a mental note that you lost focus and gently try to regain that focus.

The Benefits of Meditation

There are many benefits from meditating both physical and psychological. For instance:

It can help reduce the feeling of depression, anxiety, stress, anger, and confusion.

Meditation helps increase your energy and willpower.

Meditation has also been scientifically proven to reverse heart disease, by increasing blood flow and lowering your heart rate.

It also reduces pain and enhances the body’s immune system.

In addition, it is very calming.

If that isn’t enough for you to start then I’m not sure what is. If you are already convinced to start meditating here are some helpful tips.

Tips to get started:

Sit for just two minutes – This should be relatively easy to do, to just meditate for 2 minutes. This isn’t supposed to be hard it is meant to get you in the habit of meditating routinely. Start with just 2 minutes a day for a week. If you do that well, increase the time by a minute or 2 for next week. By increasing a little at a time you will let your body get used to the idea of meditating and you will be doing it for 10 minutes a day in a few weeks. Do it as soon as you wake up – Set a reminder on your phone to make sure you remember to meditate in the morning. Doing it at the same time every day will help you build a mourning ritual which is a good thing. Don’t worry about all the small details just do it – Most people worry about too many technicalities when they start. Like how to sit, where to sit, and what cushion to use. That is nice to learn but it definitely isn’t necessary when you are just starting off. You can start by sitting anywhere that you are comfortable. Count your breath – Now it is time to start focusing on your breath, Try to focus on nothing but your breath, follow it as it comes in, feel it in your lungs, and follow it as you release it. To make this easier when you breathe in just think of the number 1 and when you breathe out think of the number 2. Repeat this 1,2,1,2 Bring yourself back when your thoughts drift – Your mind will wander. This is an almost guaranteed to happen. There’s no problem with that. If you realize that your thoughts have drifted don’t get frustrated. Simply take note that your mind was wandering and return to your breath. It is perfectly fine to lose your focus, everyone does it. This is the thing you are trying to practice and you won’t be good at it for a while. Don’t worry about clearing the mind . – Most people think that the main goal of meditation is to clear your mind and stopping all thoughts. It is not, This can happen sometimes but it is basically impossible to do on purpose. Because if you are thinking about stopping your thoughts you are still thinking. Having thoughts is a normal thing. It is what our brains are designed to do. Instead, the real goal of meditation is working on your ability to focus your attention on things. So instead of trying to turn off your brain, practice focusing your attention. Let your mind take over. – Before I was telling you to focus on your breath and bring your mind back when it wanders. After you get good at focusing on your breath you might want to consider switching things up a bit. Instead of preventing your mind to wander you should encourage it to. Start off as you normally would, focus on your breath. When thoughts or feelings arise you can try to stay with them for a while. This is a great way to learn how your brain works and encourage you to be more creative. Do a body scan . – Another thing you can do instead of focusing on your breath is to focus your attention on one part of your body at a time. Start at the soles of your feet, focus on how they feel, then focus on your toes. slowly work up your body, all the way up to the top of your head. You can do it anywhere . – Meditation doesn’t need to be done sitting down. If something comes up and you need to go to work or you are traveling, you can still meditate. Sitting down is the best way to start, but the truth is that you’re practicing to apply this kind of mindfulness in everyday life. You can do it almost anywhere, waiting in line at a store, while you are walking somewhere. Basically anywhere you can think of. Smile when you’re done . – When you finish with your session, smile. Be grateful that you stuck with your commitment. Be proud that you took time out of your day to get to know yourself, Most people know more about actors in their favorite tv show than they do about themselves. So once you are done, smile and look forward to doing it again.

Meditation isn’t always easy or even peaceful. But it has truly amazing benefits, and you can start today, and continue for the rest of your life.