It’s time for some honesty here, do you meditate?  I’d love to hear from you if you do but actually even more so if you don’t.  Meditation used to be one of those spiritual woo woo ideas that only real hippies or Buddhist monks were into, but now? More and more top entrepreneurs and business people are realising the benefits of meditation.

I used to find it really hard to meditate, I’m so busy all of the time that the idea of allowing my brain to think of NOTHING was alien to me. What do you mean sit and empty my mind?  It hasn’t been empty for about 23 years, I have so much to think of with work and family and growing my business and remembering all of those pesky to-do list items – how do I switch off?

But like anything, starting off small and working up to a full-on meditation practice is the best way forward.  You need to pick a time and place when you can relax and feel calm, when the children are getting ready for school in the morning or when your husband wants to talk to you about his day at work are not good times!

Don’t aim to meditate for a long time when you are first starting out, try 5-10 minutes at a time.  There are many guided meditations out there which you might find an easier place to start as you begin to train your mind to relax and unwind.  Choose a guided meditation that is in line with your goals and just aim to do a short amount of time every day.

 

You’ll really see the benefits of a meditation practice if you stick to it for long enough for it to make a difference, like anything though a couple of weeks meditation is not going to change your life. It is a long-term commitment but if you can manage to focus and keep at it you’ll see some of these benefits of daily meditation: 

5 benefits of daily meditation

Self-awareness

The more time you spend meditating, sitting still and being relaxed and to rest, the more self-aware you will become.  You’ll learn how to tune into your body and listen to those little voices that guide you and let you know what direction to take for your greatest good.

Improve concentration

There have been a number of scientific studies that have shown how regular meditation can improve your concentration, which can only be a good thing for your business and your life in general.  

Reduces stress

It is impossible to be stressed out when you are meditating and the best way to encourage a stress-free lifestyle is to take regular time out to get away from your stresses and relax.  Meditating will give you something else to focus on which will take your mind away from your stresses and focus you on improving your mindset.

Increases happiness

You know what makes you happy?  Having reduced stress, a healthy lifestyle, improved self-awareness and a little bit of time carved out for yourself every day.  If you meditate regularly you will feel happier calmer and overall in a better place.  What’s not to love about that?

Encourages a healthy lifestyle

We all KNOW that we should eat healthily, cut out alcohol and smoking and generally live a healthier lifestyle, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  Beginning to meditate sets you on the right track for improving other areas of your life.  

I know that meditation has made a huge difference to my life, and I’d love to hear from you if you have similar experiences – or even if you want to start meditating but have been putting it off.  My personal advice would be to take the plunge and reap the rewards.