Daily meditation - Start with 5 mins today

Everyday meditation is one of the most powerful ways of combatting stress and anxiety in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. - And yet it is so simple to do. You can do it in 5, 10 or 20 mins, anywhere, anytime, and you will always feel great and calm afterward. - It is a rewarding and relaxing practice that everyone should try to make a habit of doing every day. 

My experience is that people tend to overcomplicate the process and therefore never really get started. It can be as simple as sitting in your car, train or office and paying attention to your breath.

Why should you Meditate?

• It relieves stress and helps you to relax.
• Meditation and Mindfulness can help you to change habits and being more present in everything you do.
• Meditation has been shown to have mental benefits, such as improved focus, happiness, memory, self-control, academic performance and more.
• Some research on meditation has indicated that it may have other health benefits, including improved metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and more.

Besides this, you will gain a better understanding of yourself and reach a self-awareness level that you will notice quite quickly with daily practice.

Just sitting and focusing on your breath and emptying your mind for just a few minutes every day, is an oasis of calm and relaxation that we rarely find in our lives these days. 

How to.

Meditation can take many forms. But our goal to start with as a beginner is to form the daily habit of meditation. And so our method should be as simple as possible.

1. Start with just 5 minutes a day. If you want to start a habit you have to be persistent and start with a realistic goal. 5 minutes should be possible to find every day for most of us. You can build and expand your practice from there as you get more experienced. 

2. Choose a time of day. It does not have to be an exact time of day, but a general time, like the mornings after waking up, or during your lunch hour or coffee break. 

3. Find a quiet spot. Sometimes the early mornings are best, energizing and calming you before the day starts. It can also be in the car, on a beach, or anywhere that is quiet and you can be uninterrupted.

4. Sit comfortably. You can sit in a chair, your sofa, your car seat, or on the floor with a pillow. The only thing that matters is that you are comfortable and have good posture. 

5. Focusing on the breath. Start by a few deep breaths into your lungs and belly. Sit straight, keep your eyes open, but with a soft focus. After a few breaths, when you are ready, close your eyes and try emptying your mind. 

If it helps, count your exhalations. If you lose track you simply start over. If your mind wanders (and it will), then as soon as you notice it, gently bring your focus back to your breath. Repeat this process for the few minutes you meditate. You probably won’t be very good at emptying your mind at first, but with practice and persistence, you will start to get better. - Some days are better than others, so do not get discouraged by some off days. You will have great days too. 

Try doing this for a month and you’ll have a daily meditation habit that will change your life for the better. - You WILL notice the difference, I promise. 

Let me know how it goes and should you have any questions, you are most welcome to ask them in the commentary field.