Taking care of your mental health is incredibly important for your well-being. Making sure your mental health is in check largely impacts your emotional, professional, social, physical, and so many other aspects of life.
An excellent way to find your inner calm and destress during moments of difficulty is to meditate.
Why should you meditate?
Studies show that meditating for just 10 minutes a day for 10 days total can have a profound effect on your resilience. It not only improves negative aspects of mental health, but also strengthens any positive aspects of your mental health when done regularly. Source: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-1050-9
How does meditation work?
Meditation can seem overwhelming at first, but the great thing about meditating is that it looks different for everyone, and after a few sessions, you'll find what works for you! Below are some step-by-step instructions that you can use to begin incorporating meditation in your life.
Find a place to sit or lay down
Any place that you can be uninterrupted for 5-10 minutes works!
Breathe...in through the nose, out through the mouth
Feel the air flow in and out of your lungs as you begin to relax
Close your eyes
When you feel ready, let your eyes close
Focus on the present
Let thoughts come and go. When you get distracted, calmly bring yourself to focusing on the present again
Open your eyes and reflect
When done, sit up and spend a minute reflecting on how you feel. Do you feel calmer? How does your mind feel?
Plan your next meditation and stay mindful!
Watch the following video for a demonstration of how meditation works: