Tired of failing at your attempts to sit still for 5 minutes and meditate? I was too until I discovered this.
By Leslie K. Hughes
The word “meditation” used to elicit this fiery frustration within me. The number of failed attempts I’ve had at sitting to meditate for a mere 5 minutes is embarrassing. Every time I designate this time to sit in quiet and attempt to calm my mind, it has a mind of its own and decides to run in the opposite direction, with 1000 thoughts in tow.
I reached a point where meditation did nothing but fill me with frustration and defeat. So, after trial and only error, I finally accepted that meditation and I were never going to be besties. Why force something that obviously isn’t working?
However, I couldn’t escape the buzz of meditation. Articles littering the internet boasted the benefits. Ads for meditation apps were constantly blasted in my face. Friends couldn’t stop bragging about how meditation changed their lives. Something was definitely wrong with me. “How are all these people able to master meditation while I can’t even calm my mind for 30 seconds?”
And then my ‘aha’ meditation moment happened. I realized I had fallen into a narrow-minded trap of the definition of meditation. I thought meditation meant sitting in silence, with your legs crossed, eyes closed, and clearing your mind of cluttering thoughts.
So, I went to the dictionary and found the real definition of meditation: to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.
Turns out I wasn’t a failure. I was just meditating wrong. Some people thrive in the vision of meditation I originally had in my head, and find their best meditation occurs when they are sitting in silence, cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed. But for me, my best meditation occurs when I’m walking.
So, if you want to love meditation, but are struggling to find what mode of meditation works best for you, read on to discover the meditation love language your brain and body speak.
Listen to music
The power of music is undeniably strong. Not only is it an automatic mood-booster, but music also brings memories back to life like nothing else can. We all have those songs that take us back to a time and a place.
And can we talk about music and sex? Cue the Weeknd and dimmed lights for a steamy sesh, please.
But music can also be a form of meditation. It doesn’t need to be om music or involve chanting (unless that’s your thing). Any music that brings you peace is perfect. So if that’s Drake, no judgment here.
Go for a walk
My meditation of choice is walking. Unplugging from screens and connecting with nature can be surprisingly peaceful. This form of meditation is ideal for those who feel better in motion, as it allows you to move without having to think about the movement, so you can focus your attention on finding that inner peace.
Make daily walks a part of your routine and you’ll reap the benefits of both walking and meditation. We love a good two-for-one.
Journal
Feeling frustrated about something that you can’t get off your mind? Meditate on it by journaling. This is a tried and true way to reflect on things, and a great means by which to get shit off your chest.
Take a shower
We love showers not only for their ability to get our bodies clean, but also for their ability to get our minds clean. Showers are another mode of moving meditation, as you are moving, but doing so on autopilot. This makes showers a great place to think through questions and ideas, or, as we call it, meditate.
Exercise
Any sort of exercise forces you to get “in the zone” and focus on your breath and your movement. This makes that painfully difficult HIIT class or that shake-inducing Pilates class the ideal way to let go of stress and other negative things you’re holding onto. The endorphins you get from exercise are what keeps us coming back for more (okay that, and our inability to stop eating Honey Mama’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Yell
In a world where we are filtering our lives and only showing our best selves, we begin to bury more and more of our stress and our feelings in an attempt to keep a positive image. I don’t even need to go into why this is a bad idea — you already know that.
But if you’re looking for a way to meditate that will help you unearth all the stuff you’ve buried, all you’ve gotta do is yell. Get it out with a scream — just make sure you’re not directing that scream at another person.
