The Dictionary.com definition of meditate is “to engage in thought or contemplation.”
When was the last time that you actually stopped to focus and think about just 1 thing? (For me…1989 maybe)
Most of the time we are attempting to multitask every area of our lives while getting the groceries, writing that report for work, picking up the kids from soccer practice, making dinner, watching the news or even getting ready for bed.
What do most people do while waiting in line, eating lunch or dinner, or watching television? They are fiddling with some type of technology.
Technology has turned us all into multitasking, focus-less zombies.
In the new year I’m going to be focusing on more healthy living. So to start, I’m going to work on learning to meditate.
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Affirmations
I have been working on affirmations for the last few months. These are just simple sayings that I repeat a few times of day. The hope is that by repeating them, they will become so ingrained in my thought patterns that to deviate from them will be painful (cognitive dissonance).
I’ve set a reminder on my phone (technology can be used for good sometimes…lol) to go off three times a day with the words Grateful, Present,Productive. Each time I see these words I repeat, “I am Grateful. I am Present. I am Productive.”
Learning to Be Present
Mindfulness is nothing more than learning to be “present, in the moment.” When you watch television, that activity consumes your focus (that’s an easy one). When you are having dinner with your family, you are paying attention to them, the food, the conversation and the feelings you have during these times.
Mediating is simply taking time to quiet your mind and focus. You can focus on your breathe. You can focus on a problem. You can focus on a feeling or a person or even an object. But you need to focus on just ONE thing…in a quiet place.
And for me, learning to be present is the big payoff for learning to meditate. I want to be present in all of my relationships, in my business and for myself. I want to learn to focus on the now. I want to focus on my current actions and let go of obsessing over the outcomes.
Books
I’ve come across a few book that I think will help me learn to quiet my mind.
Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation
Meditation: A Path to Awareness: A Five Week Course
How to Meditate: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Meditation
Over the next few months I’ll be posting what I’m working on while learning to meditate.
I hope you’ll take this journey with me.
Have you ever meditated on a consistent basis?
