Hi everyone,
How can I improve my english? I have learned something useful in high school: If you want to learn, you just need to learn, if you want to know, you need to learn AND practice. Obviously, I cannot really achieve this goal alone or even without trying to express myself in english, because to understand a language and truly use it very well you need to write, read, listen and speak in this language. But it is hard, when you live in France, to find someone else who enjoys languages and used to speak those languages. Because of that, I was totally afraid of learning languages, maybe I was sure that I have not enough knowledge in english to speak it well. So, here is a kind of « mindfulness revelation », I was pretty much able to write an article in english and ask someone to read it and maybe help me to improve it. So, here I am, and today’s article deals with mindfulness, ability to change our life with just one activity: meditation, or just something that makes us keep in mind that nothing matters as much as the present.
For some people, this meditation stuff seems useless, like a waste of time. I was this kind of person, but now I know how meditation helps me to fix some issues, deal with anxiety, and, sometimes, just remember to breathe in a good way: slowly and deeply. In fact, there are some prejudices around meditation, there is not only one way to do it. Meditation, it’s when you are 100% focus on one (and only one) task and you just breathe to keep this focus and you feel like « Yeah, I’m motivated and productive ». There are some tips if you want a type of meditation a bit different to boost creativity or deal with anxiety, addiction or even just overthinking. There are so many ways to meditate: scuba diving, running, walking in a quiet landscape, being focus on a task, breathing…
Why should we meditate? For some reasons, people just say that « it makes you feel great » but, this is not enough. Meditation has some effects on your brain: it can help to manage stress, deal with addictions, be way more concentrated, sleep well… But Meditation is not just being sit down, closed eyes and “shut up your mind”, you can also meditate when you clean up your room, when you walk, when you run, when you gym, when you keep doing nothing. There are so many ways to be mindful! Since I meditate almost every single day, I’ve realized some things in my life, and the most important thing is that I’m the type of person who meditate every morning, I’m the type of person who take time to breathe, to learn, to achieve goals and, since I know that I just realize it’s changing my life in a better way. I’m way more concentrated, I give myself the chance to be productive and achieve my goals, it also makes me feel happier and stronger. Reset your mindset is the most powerful way to get a better life, because it pushes you to be way more open-minded and, in a long run, makes your life better.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying that meditation exists for dealing with issues etc., this is a modern view of meditation. I’m just saying that if you meditate you can observe these issues, accept them, understand them and connect you with them: learn to be free and connect with yourself. In fact, meditation isn’t a tool, it’s a beautiful activity which can help you to become a more productive person or less stressed or others but it’s not the point of meditation.
How can we meditate? You probably think that meditation is still a waste of time and useless. In a certain way you’re right. If someone pushes you into it without explaining you what’s meditation and how much it can be helpful for you, it would be a waste of time and useless. But, if you understand that meditation is just being concentrated in only one task, you realize that you meditate every week when you clean up your room.
If you want to start a “classical” practice of meditation, I have got some tips for you. First, you need to want it because it is a lonely practice, you are alone with your thoughts and your mind, and it makes a link between mind and body: only you can control it. So, first you need to make it a priority in your life and know why you do that: It’s the most important part and the most complicated. Because it’s your self-judgment about yourself and your issues, difficulties or maybe just your curiosity about this activity. I don’t recommend you to do this alone, you can start with a vocal trainer who can explain you what to do and also bring you scientific support and some help like : why you should breathe with your nose and not your mouth, why you should close your eyes, why gratitude and positive thoughts are not a selfish practice, it resets your mindset. Personally, I use 7Mind and the relaxation by “Paroles de Yogis” (French YouTube channel about yoga). My advice to make meditation a priority in your day is to schedule it when you’re sure you won’t be interrupted by someone or something and most importantly when you can’t procrastinate, personally I do on mornings, just after waking up or after my sport/yoga’s practice because in these moments I have no reasons to put it off and it’s an important part of my morning routine : on mornings I’m more motivated and I’ve got more energy than on evenings. My advice to keep in mind why you meditate is simple: write it. When you doubt about it ask yourself why you meditate and what result you can already see on you: less stressed? More confident? In peace? More open-minded?
Meditation should not be an obligation, you should keep in mind that you deserve this moment for you, you deserve to take care of yourself and, in fact, we need it. Meditation is a hard activity, therefore I recommend you to start with a vocal trainer or with an “active meditation” for first and, after, go into a more “classical practice”. Always remember that it’s just a pathway, not an obligation, and it’s a very beautiful activity so, don’t make it a source of anxiety.
I hope you enjoy. This exercise was interesting for me, I would probably retry one day!
With this, I wish you self-discovery.