The Single Best Form of Self Care

The single most life changing form of self-care you could practice, is daily meditation.

It’s very interesting though, there is something about the idea sitting and trying to quiet the mind that elicits fear in people like no other. I did 20 years of yoga before I could bring myself to sit only for the purpose of daily meditation. And I was resistant.

Finally, about 5 years ago, I committed.

 All I knew, is that meditation was about quieting my mind, and I needed some of that. I was aware enough of my recurring thoughts, and they got the best of me often. Causing big reactions in my body and behavior as they invoked stress responses.  

Many of my thoughts, (maybe you can relate), weren’t exactly the loving cheerleader type. They were the judge, the shamer, the worrier, the critic, the controller, and the guilt tripper. Those were the ones who showed up in my mind the loudest. I figured if I could quiet them, it would be worth it! So, I committed.

I held myself accountable with my Insight Timer app, by logging each time I sat or lied down to meditate. The first week I tried, the thoughts were fairly continuous. Most of those them were very convincing arguments as to why my attempt at this was doomed to fail.

But I kept going, determined to reap the benefits I’d heard about from Wayne Dyer, Thich Nhat Hanh, Eckhart Tolle and others.

Just keep going, silence will happen. Stillness is in your true nature.

Then one day, I had a moment where the thoughts got quiet. And those moments stretched into longer bits of time with each day I practiced. Some days were harder than others, but I eventually started to feel more peaceful in my mind and body. It felt good.

I found that I could recognize my thoughts, triggers and reactions without becoming them.

I could observe them, without being them.

I could see that I wasn’t the judge, the critic, the shamer, the worrier, the controller, or the guilt tripper. I was the quiet presence behind it all.

This was when I understood how meditation changes lives. And anyone can do it.

All our thought patterns were born from the experiences in our lives. Much of the thoughts we cling to, were gifted to us by our parents, their parents, and the environment we grew up in. In other words, it isn’t your fault if you overthink or overreact, but it is within your power to change that now.

When you take time every day to connect to your true essence, you slowly let go of the false self. There isn’t incessant questioning of what you should do or where you are going. There is trust in the flow of life. Less mind chatter, less reactivity, and more being present in each moment.

I recommend meditating for at least 3-5 minutes each day, first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed, before the daily thoughts start to take hold.

Choose meditations that speak to you – a lovely voice guiding you, soothing sounds, nature, your breath, whatever works. Devote time to distancing yourself from your train of thoughts as often as you can and watch your life change for the better in every way.

Wellness is way more effortless when you don’t have to break through negative thought patterns. It is much easier to let go of bad habits and acquire new ones when you aren’t in the grasp of the judge in your mind. 5 minutes a day really can change your life.

In my Self Healing Series of Workshops, coming in January, I teach different forms of meditation and help you understand how and why this can and will change your life in greater detail. I help you stay accountable to yourself and we break down what our blocks to it all may be. I also teach about the energy body and how stuck energy in our body gets in the way of our current level of health and vitality. Through mindful movement practices I teach how to release this stuck energy in your body. And then we put it all together through discussion and integration, and the realization that ultimately we all have the same challenges and there is a way to work through anything when we commit to this simple daily practice. Are you ready to discover a new path to healing and living your best life? Join me for this Self Healing Series of Workshops. It is truly life changing.

Check out my Youtube Channel @Healthy To The Soul – for free guided meditations.