If you are new to your meditation practice I want to encourage you to start small and start slow with this meditation guide. I hear from so many parents that they don’t have enough time in the day to meditate or there is no way they can clear their minds during meditation.
Meditating 20 minutes twice a day didn’t happen overnight for me. I had to start small. When I started meditating I considered it a success if I could sit still with my eyes closed for 5 minutes. I always felt I had something more important I should be doing. I’m sure you all are familiar with this feeling. Because of this feeling, I’m going to give you some tips for starting small and slow with meditation.
Find moments of downtime to meditate
What am I talking about when I say downtime? Parents don’t get downtime! Here are some examples of downtime I would use to meditate for a few minutes. I would leave a few minutes early to pick my son up from elementary school. In those 5 extra minutes that I was sitting parked in the pickup line, I would close my eyes and meditate. Showers are the perfect time to close your eyes to meditate for a few minutes. Instead of picking up your phone to check your email or social media when you wake up, close your eyes and have a moment to think about the things you are thankful for. Before you go to bed take a moment to close your eyes and unwind from a busy day.
We all have moments of downtime that we can take advantage of. Use those moments wisely and take time for yourself. I promise it will make you feel better.
You don’t always have to clear your mind during meditation
One common misconception about meditation is that you have to clear your mind during meditation. I always thought that if my to-do list came up in my mind during my meditation that I wasn’t really meditating. While you don’t want to sit and dwell on your to-do list during meditation, it’s perfectly ok if those thoughts come up. The key is to see those thoughts and set them aside for a moment. You don’t have to judge those thoughts. Just watch the thoughts go by. In a later lesson, I will go into some tips on how to meditate better without racing thoughts by focusing on your breathing or a mantra. But for now, just be mindful of your thoughts without judgment.
Try to meditate for at least 5 minutes twice a day
This may seem like a long time. But I promise the more you do it the easier it will get. If you want to do a short guided meditation or timer, Insight Timer is a popular app you can download on your phone. This app is a great way to get you started on your meditation journey.I hope these tips are helpful in getting you started on your meditation journey. For the next week, I challenge you to meditate at least 5 minutes twice a day and see how you feel. Be sure to leave me a comment or send me an email at cyndi@https://momelite.com with any questions and let me know how you are doing with your meditation.