Have you ever started incorporating something into your daily routine and thought to yourself, “Why the hell haven’t I been doing this regularly this entire time?”
That’s how I feel with meditation. I’ve done it on and off for about 5 years but now I’ve finally incorporated it into my lifestyle and I honestly don’t know how to go back.
WAIT, DON’T LEAVE!
I know. I know. You have too many thoughts in your head to be able to meditate right?
Saying this is quite literally like saying you’re too dirty to take a shower. The dirtier you are, the more likely you do need to take a shower and it’s the exact same thing with meditation. The more anxious, busy, scatterbrained (#mylife) you are, the more you truly NEED meditation.
As soon as I complete my meditation, the millions of things I needed to do get streamlined to the most important things and I get them done so much more efficiently!
Meditation has innumerous benefits but one of my favorite things about it is that it can actually physically change your brain! To learn some ways meditation can physically alter your brain, watch my #MedicalMonday from a few weeks ago.
Outside of the ways it can physically alter your brain, here are some of the benefits you can see almost immediately:
1. Reduction of stress: Studies have found a reduction in cortisol (stress hormone) in people who practiced meditation for 8 weeks.
2. Increased attention span: Meditation is a practice of focus. Just like anything in life, the more you practice it the better you’ll get. You’re literally strengthening the part of your brain that has to do with focus when trying to focus while meditating.
3. Enhanced compassion and empathy for oneself and others: Meditation helps enhance self-awareness or mindfulness. This allows one to be more empathetic toward another human and also forgive oneself for your own mistakes.
4. Improved sleep: The fact that it reduces stress is a big reason for this. Those racing thoughts we talked about in the beginning start to diminish and you can finally fall asleep!
5. Reduced aggression: This fact is associated with the enhanced compassion. Increased compassion and empathy leads to a decrease in anger. Like the fact that traffic does not bother me anymore…
These are still only a few of the benefits of meditation. The benefits of meditation are truly endless and it is safe to say that it is just as important as diet and exercise when it comes to your health!
IT’S TIME TO FINALLY TAKE THAT SHOWER!
Cleanse yourself with meditation!
For some ideas on how to start your meditation practice, check out my #MedicalMonday video and join us for Mahan Meditations every Monday!
If you’d like to learn other ways to improve your quality of life, schedule a complimentary consult with me to see if we can work together to optimize your health and happiness!
