How Meditation Can Change Your Life

Life is hard and, for most of us, we feel like there’s very little we can do to help clear our minds and feel a moment of peace. As a result, we can wake up in the morning feeling anxious, rushed, and exhausted before the day has even begun, so for some, morning meditation won’t even cross your mind. Yet, practicing morning meditation can be one of the best things you can do for your body and mind at the start of your day. Starting your morning with a peaceful and focused mind can help to improve your day before it properly begins.
I have felt all those feelings of stress, and honestly, I still do, but I have found that taking time out in the morning for myself really has changed my life and eased my morning stress. How you begin your mornings can affect your mental and physical well-being, with studies showing that those who practice morning meditation are healthier and happier than those who don’t.

Why you should start Morning Meditations:

1. Better Morning Mood  
   Research has found that as little as 10 minutes of meditation a day can boost positive emotions such as happiness, relaxation, and gratefulness, improving your overall mood in the morning. During meditation, you can go into a deep state of relaxation that allows you to release stress and clear your mind for the day ahead.

2. Ease Stress and Anxiety  
   Morning meditation can help improve your ability to manage stress. Most of us wake up in the morning stressed at the thought of the day ahead or still carrying stress from the day before. But meditation helps you to practice letting go of stress. Meditation can affect the part of the brain that is responsible for your stress response and daily practice will help you to release built-up tension, stress, and anxiety. It's important to note that meditation can include breathing exercises that people with anxiety can use to help cope with anxiety.  

3. Improve Productivity  
   Meditation teaches you to clear your mind and focus, which can extend to your work life. Research has found that through meditation you can learn to cope with inner distractions and focus on one thing at a time. When we know we have a lot of work to do, we can feel overwhelmed and often procrastinate to avoid those feelings of stress, but meditation can increase focus levels and boost productivity whilst easing the mental effort needed to stay focused. Helping you to take it one step at a time and get the work done.

4. Boost Mental & Physical Wellbeing  
   Meditation affects the nervous system (I.e. breathing, heart rate, and stress hormones). This practice encourages you to focus on your breathing and calm your body before the day ahead. If we do this daily then it can result in stress reduction, slower heart rate, and lower cholesterol levels.  In addition to this, regular meditation can help you to filter out negative self-talk. One of the ways to meditate includes positive self-talk and affirmations. Our mind believes what we tell ourselves, so we need to be kind and practice positive self-talk. Regular positive self-talk is a part of our self-love journey and will boost our confidence over time.

5. Enhanced Emotional Self Awareness  
   Meditation can help you to become more aware of your own emotions. Taking time to get lost in your emotions, thoughts, and feelings to understand them can help you to get to know yourself. By taking time out of your day to just be at peace with yourself, you become more aware of the world around you and become aware of yourself without judgment. Daily meditation can make it easier to rationalise your thoughts and feelings and control them to your benefit.

Make Meditation Work for You

1. There is no Meditation Rule Book
   There is no right or wrong way to meditate. All you need is a quiet space to be with yourself, whether it's for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or even longer. You should appreciate that you made time for yourself, no matter how long or short. Some incorporate yoga into their practice, some sit still in bed and concentrate on breathing, whilst others focus on self-talk or work with guided meditation. You can do whatever you want because it is your own time to just be. 

2. Consistency Will Change Your Life  
   Just like everything in life, consistency is key. Try waking up at the same time every morning as this will make it easier to build meditation into your morning routine. Once you create a habit out of meditating, your day won't feel right without it. If there are some mornings when you wake up late, then don’t make excuses, but try to follow your meditation routine.

3. Let your Mind Wonder
   When you start meditating, your mind will most definitely wonder, you’ll be thinking “Is this supposed to happen?” Or “What will I make for dinner tonight” and that’s okay. In time, you will learn to focus on your mind and focus on your breathing, thoughts, and feelings. Sometimes letting your mind wander leads you to think deeply about yourself and your emotions, so sometimes it helps to get lost in your thoughts. 

4. Be Kind to Yourself
   Meditation is supposed to be a form of self-care, so it's okay if it takes time for you to feel the effects or understand how it can help you. You might have days where you’re too rushed off your feet and can’t make the time or just need to lie in bed for a couple more hours and that’s okay. Just remember to be kind to yourself and commit to getting back on track. It takes effort to build a habit, but I promise it's worth it.