How to be calm, focused, and clear headed in a modern world

When you think of the word meditation, what comes to mind? Sitting cross-legged in an idyllic setting maintaining a zen-like state of peace? Or perhaps you think of some kind of Buddhist-type retreat with chanting and the gentle ting of finger cymbals? Many of us see meditation as a luxury, even an indulgence - and definitely for somebody else! How are we supposed to fit this into our busy lives, when we barely have enough time to relax as it is?! This was my perception of meditation until a few months ago.

Like most career women with a young family, it felt like every moment was taken up with 'doing'. If I wasn’t doing something, I was wasting time and being lazy. When I did get a few minutes to myself, it was with laptop nearby or a book in my hands. Then one evening, while struggling to get my daughter to sleep, I came across a meditation for kids smartphone app. I lay down next to my daughter and played it for us. The calm voice and gentle music encouraged us to relax our bodies and become conscious of our breathing. Both of us had the best sleep we’ve had for a long time! Not only that but the next day I felt clear-headed, more relaxed and better able to cope with the day-to-day dramas.

I looked into this a bit more and found that daily meditation is not only possible on a busy schedule, it is practiced by many successful business people to help them stay calm and focussed on their work. I began to add daily meditation to my schedule. I found that taking just five minutes at the beginning or the end of the day to close my eyes, breathe deeply and empty my mind released tension in my body I didn’t even know was there! I now use an app called ‘Simple Habit’. It is free to download and is full of meditations for different situations throughout the day - such as a quick pick me up first thing in the morning, a meditation for when you are waiting for someone or something, or even just going for a walk. This fits with my busy life perfectly - and now I wouldn’t be without it!
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Consider adding time for meditation into your schedule. You’ll be amazed at how much easier you’ll find dealing with the day-to-day stresses. But most of all - you will be calm, focussed, and better able to let your Wonder Woman shine :-)