“I am a good person” is the only affirmation you need.

One aspect of settling our minds, being aware in the moment, and connecting with our inner wisdom is the ability to be comfortable in our own skins. Can you look at yourself in the mirror, at any moment, with kindness and tenderness and say, “I am a good person,” and really believe it? Try it out and see what happens. If you find any resistance there, just note it but don’t over-analyze it. As we practice meditation daily, our ability to lean into that resistance, or fully embrace who we are at all times begins to blossom. Learning to accept ourselves in all circumstances is a skill that takes practice and diligence. So, keep that above phrase in mind and dive into your 3 minute meditation for the day, or as ever, practice in whatever way you already know and love.

New to meditation? Read on!

Rather than looking at meditation as “one more thing to do”, think of meditation as an engine that is always running in the background, all that is required is pausing for a moment to notice it. As you begin this process consider taking a moment to do some seemingly ordinary daily task: doing the dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hair, walking the dog, and really focus on that thing, allowing other thoughts to subside and disappear for a moment. Focus on your breath, focus on what you’re doing, and ENJOY it. Enjoy doing nothing but being present right in this moment.

Another thing that may help quiet the mind is repetition. So you may want to try something like saying in your mind “inhale/exhale” with each breath. Or you can try counting 1-5 with each exhalation. The other day I listened to an interview with Benson Henry from the Benson Henry Institute where he said in one study the participants, all Harvard students, were asked to count from 1-10 as a way to help them practice meditation. They couldn’t do it. The got distracted. So he made it simpler, and asked them to count to 1… then repeat, and again, and so on. It turns out the effects were the same or better than counting from 1-10. Counting to 1 reduced their stress, and instilled repetition, and allowed for the disregard of other thoughts as they came to mind.

Mental Benefits of Meditation

Regular meditation brings brainwave patterns into a slower state that promotes healing. The amygdala (the part of our brain responsible for fight or flight) gets tuned down and we can more easily manage our stress response, even in the most challenging moments.

• Reduces anxiety and depression by enabling your body to balance its own neurochemical system.
• Allows you to make better decisions and improve critical thinking.
• Breaks unhealthy habits by helping you detach emotions associated with an action from the action itself, helping to develop emotional stability
• Improves communication with yourself. When you better understand your thought processes, you have more control over what you think.
• Helps you stay in the present moment. When you let go of the past and the future, you live 100 percent in the now, which affects all aspects of your life and relationships, essentially helping you gain clarity and peace of mind.
• Enhances awareness that your inner attitude determines your happiness.
• Develops intuition more fully.

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