Ready for Challenge Nineteen?
Well it’s officially fall (at least in Minneapolis). I just back from a 12 day work trip to Indonesia and the last little hints of summer have passed on to make room for chilly mornings and leaves just starting to change color. On my trip I started with an iritis flare before I even made it through the first flight. To be honest, it was one of the worst flares I have had in well over a year. Initially my mind went to why? I have found that I can normally pin point something that is causing the flare. This time the only thing I could think of was stress which is very likely. During my trip to help not only with my symptoms but my stress and concern about the flare I used meditation. I am surprised I have not done a challenge on meditation yet as it has been a game changer for me. Not only does mediation help me to get through a flare but it has also played a critical role in keeping me flare free.
This months challenge is to mediate for 10-15 each day. I recommend mediating in the morning but your can mediate at any time during day. You can also break this time into multiple shorter sessions if you like.
Meditation requires you to focus your attention on something other than all the crazy thoughts that are streaming through your head. It calms the mind and brings a sense of peace that benefits not only your physical body but your mind as well. The benefits of meditation last long after a session and are carried through your day. Meditation helps you to focus on the present moment. This is a skill we all need to be able to live life to the fullest and keep stress levels low. When we get away from past or future thoughts we can enjoy what is right in front of us.
Below I am sharing how to mediate with just a timer and focus on your breath. If you prefer a guided meditation head over to You Tube and search for guided meditation or meditation and a key word such as “healing”. There are a number of healing mediations I listen to over and over. You can also find meditions to help with confidence and limiting beliefs as well anxiety. Really anything you are looking for. I do recommend working to master meditating on your own so that you can practice whenever you feel the need but guided meditations are great to add to your practice!
How To Meditate
- Find a quiet place and either dim the lights or turn them off completely.
- Sit in a chair or on the floor. It can be tempting to lean back against the wall or the back of the chair but during your meditation you still want to be alert and aware. You don’t want to relax so much that you fall asleep. You want to be able to focus on your breath or the meditation you are listening to.
- Set an alarm either on your phone or a timer for the amount of time you want to meditate for. For this challenge I recommend starting with 10-15 min and building from there. This may not seem like a lot of time but it will make a huge difference and won’t require a crazy amount of time. I recommend meditating first thing in the morning but if you can find time to meditate both in the morning and the evening that is even better!
- Focus on your breath. You can focus on any part of it. The sound of it, how it feels coming in and out of your nose or how your chest rises and falls.
- Don’t think… this is the hardest part as little thoughts are going to start creeping in. If a thought comes into your head just ackowlege and it will fade. Don’t fight it. Over time this will become easier. If your mind completely wanders just bring your focus back to your breath.
- Don’t be to hard on yourself. Meditation is a practice that takes practice! The more you do it the easier it will become.
Ready, Set, Go…. Challenge Time
The first step is to set up your free account at Healthstorylines.com if you have not already.
Simply click here to register for your free account.
Challenge Nineteen Instructions:
1. Mediate for 10-15 min each day.
Let’s continue to inspire each other!
If you need any help using the Health Story Lines app check out this amazing video!
If you missed my earlier challenges you will find them here!
