meditation
Meditation has been extremely helpful in my life, but there are a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions around it.
My anxiety usually manifests itself in intrusive thoughts. I’ll sit down and randomly think I’m worthless, or a failure, or that I need to do something right now to fix my life. Many of my problems in life are caused by a hyperactive brain that focuses too much on the negatives.
I meditate to train my brain to relax. To let go of anxieties and thoughts that aren’t useful. When I meditate, I focus on my breathing and try and think about nothing else. Sometimes I’ll imagine a wave rising and falling, a feather on the wind, or just think about my chest expanding and contracting.
Thoughts are inevitably going to bounce around my brain, but when I notice myself falling into a thought spiral I just calmly let go of it and focus again on my breathing. It’s important not to beat yourself up for “failing at meditation”. Hell, beating yourself up for failing is a negative thought of it’s own.
And… that’s all there is to it. Letting go of negative thoughts is so much easier when you take 10 minutes a day to practice it.
I don’t personally like meditation apps or meditation coaches. Usually these coaches will talk to you / “guide” you while you are meditating (because they need to appear valuable somehow) but this just takes away from the core experience.
All this said I’m pretty shit at actually meditating on a consistent schedule. It’s important to not beat yourself up about that either.
https://student.korumindfulness.org/free-guided-meditations.html
