Transform Retirement with Meditation
What do you think about Meditation? Do you have a daily practice or maybe a way to shift into moments of mindfulness to allow space when external forces are bombarding you?! Or are you like I was- not just skeptical about the value of meditation but, even further, seeing it as a waste of time? After all, time is a hot commodity and can’t be used for anything “non-productive”, right? If you’re in the former camp, you're already experiencing the benefits of meditation and have integrated it into your life. If you’re in the latter camp (and believe me, I get it!) maybe you’ll read on and take a relook at meditation.
In the past I wasn’t very good about the whole category of Self Care. I always prided myself on getting things done…plus one more thing! However, I've become more aware that continuing with this pattern of pushing without pause isn’t sustainable, healthy, or necessarily effective. As Philosopher Lao Tzu offered, “Staying constantly sharpened, wears out the blade”.
Through research and training, I now understand the value and the necessity of self-care. I have learned that it goes far beyond the bubble baths and spa treatments I assumed were the focus (which for many ends up being “faux care,” as author Pooja Lakshmin, MD, terms it). Numerous benefits of self-care are documented, from increased happiness to improved focus to reduced tension and more. Under the self-care umbrella, I found meditation and mindfulness as two areas that I wanted to explore. I determined that the concepts aligned with things that were and are important to me, like improved well-being, stress releaser, increased concentration, improved clarity of thought, and even a positive impact on productivity…WHAT? I had to check it out.
I dipped a toe in with a free trial on an app called Calm. There was a great daily guided meditation offered by a down-to-earth, relatable guy named Jeff Warren. He took away a lot of my angst around meditation (could I “do it”?; answer: there’s no right or wrong) and made the 13-minute session highly digestible and doable. I found that I could fit the little break into my daily routine. It was effective in changing up the scene in my ever-busy brain and gave me a chance to BREATHE. After meditation, I went back to my to-do’s refreshed and re-energized. I wanted more!
I thought about other ways that I could incorporate this little brain breather into my life in a way that would work for me. Flash forward- since walking down this path, I wake up in the morning and start with a 10-minute guided meditation. For someone who in the past woke up begrudgingly (if not downright grumpy), this was a revelation. I begin the day with my mind feeling more open and focused. To keep the calm and clear feeling going I make time to get out and go on a brisk 20-minute mindfulness walk mid-day. I choose to concentrate on one thing intently be it my feet on the pavement, my breath in and out, the leaves on the tree a block ahead. This helps clear out all the thoughts that are ever racing through my mind. And, before I go to sleep, I focus on my breathing for several minutes which again quiets my mind and seems to prepare me for rest. I am finding that I have a more peaceful sleep because of this.
I’ve learned that I can make time to include what I now think of as MEditation each day without compromising my to-do list. And I feel terrific because I’m experiencing the health benefits of alleviating tension and the whole-life benefits of meeting the obstacles and the opportunities of the day more refreshed and focused.
So, if you’re intrigued by the idea of meditation but have been holding back, or if you’d like to find a way to incorporate a pause in your busy day to reflect, refresh and refocus so you can tap into your best self, consider giving meditation a try.
Conflux Retirement Coaching is about merging the best of who you are with who you want to be. Let’s connect and explore how you can maintain focus and calm while making the most of your day. To harness the power of these brain breathers and bring more positivity and possibility into your life, the Mindset Matters series I offer is an amazing foundation; check it out under the Services tab.
