50 Days to Bliss... Hardly

I read articles all the time about how the author did a certain activity or drank a gallon of water every day for X amount of days and they chronicle what happens. I wanted to do this. My goal was to meditate for 50 days straight and write about my experience. I wanted to be able to tell you that I achieved this goal and now everything is perfectly aligned in my life. That in 50 days of consistent meditation, I am now Zen (whatever this mystical concept means). Sorry to disappoint. This is not the case. I meditated every day for 50 days and this is what I have learned: I will continue to meditate every day for the next 50 days and the next 50 days after that. For the rest of my life. And guess what? Even then everything will not be perfectly aligned and I will be far from Zen or enlightened and THAT'S OK. That's what I've learned, it's all going to be ok. I can handle anything that life throws my direction. All I have to do is breathe. Which sounds silly, I know, because breathing is an involuntary action of life. But so often we forget to take the long, deep breaths that are essential to calming our nervous system.

I can't tell you that meditation fixes everything, but I can tell you what meditation has done for me with the hopes that I will inspire you to at least try it. Meditation gets a bad rap that it is only for hippies or only Eastern religions or only for people seeking some out-of-this-world enlightenment. There are so many scientific articles showing the health benefits of meditation. You can read about it here, here or here. It's incredible. The simple act of sitting and breathing or mindfully walking can have a huge impact on our lives.

I notice myself living at a slower pace. I still have my panic moments when my brain gets away from me but more and more I've been noticing a phenomenon in my life called time affluence. I feel like there is plenty of time in the day to get the things accomplished that I can, and anything that doesn't get done can wait until tomorrow. So many times in the past I would get caught up in the anxiety that there was never enough time. The days went too quickly and I could never complete all the tasks on my to do list. Do I do any less now? No. I still have 2 children to care for. I still have a husband whom I love spending time with. I still read at least 1 book a month for book club, and I still work a full time job. I still maintain relationships with friends and family. I still do all the things that I used to, but one thing I have given up is fret. I still have my moments, but they are shorter and come less often. I don't find myself in the downward spiral of worry and "what ifs." That game accomplishes nothing and through meditation I've overcome those useless mind games.

Many of the guided meditations I use have wonderful affirmations included. These positive self-talk statements may be the most beneficial aspect of meditating. Negative self-talk and toxic habits of comparison ruled too much of my brain space for far too long. I have to admit, it's a little weird at first to tell yourself, "I love you." Or to say "I am beautiful" to myself. At first I felt like I was being conceited, but affirmations are such a powerful tool to use when trying to rebuild yourself. Talking to myself like I would to a close friend has been therapeutic and after years of tearing myself down with negative self-talk, affirmations have helped me put those pieces back together. I have started writing affirmations in my journal and pinning them on Pinterest. Simple, quick, but so effective.

Creating a successful meditation routine for myself could not have been achieved without the help of the Insight Timer app. A very dear friend and cousin of mine introduced me to this app and I am so glad she did! It's a free app that has hundreds of guided meditations in many different languages. It can also be used as a timer for yoga, mindful walking, prayer, as well as meditation. It tracks your progress and rewards you when you reach milestones. Some of my favorite guided meditations are by Sarah Blondin, Heather Waxman, and Davidji. I also use guided yoga nidra to fall asleep to at night. Yoga nidra or yogic sleep is a highly effective relaxation technique. No downward dogs or warrior II's in this practice. It's the yoga practice for ultimate relaxation used to reduce tension and anxiety.

Like with anything, starting is the hardest part. I've always wanted to establish a meditation routine, but I thought I had to sit alone for an hour chanting mantras for it to be effective. This is not the case. Even 5-10 minutes per day, every day can make a huge difference. And as I saw the benefits of meditation manifest in my life, I wanted and needed it to continue. Now it's habit. I don't always meditate in the morning, but most days I meditate during my lunch which is a glorious break in the day. A great time for me to let all the stresses go and come back to the breath. And then I practice yoga nidra at bedtime. Not hours on end, not even alone, but consistent, conscious breath. It is a game-changer for sure! Deliberate deep breaths are good for the kids as well. It has helped calm my kids and helps them to focus.

Let me guide you really quick so you can get a taste of what I'm going on about! Take a deep breath, all the way in through your nose and feel your belly expand. Good, now at the top of the breath, hold it for 2 counts and then let the air out through your mouth. Repeat, breathe in for 5 counts and feel your belly expand. Hold it. Hold it. Now release out the mouth. Good. Repeat that breathing pattern a few more times. When you are finished place your hands on your heart and say, "I am safe. I am strong. I am confident. I love who I am."

Now go out there and have a beautiful day! And don't forget to breathe!