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The word meditation sounds VERY intimidating but let me let you in on a little secret, meditation is just... sitting still.  Yes, that’s it! I know, easier said than done but that’s why we wanted to create this beginners guide.  

The reason meditation is so great is because it can help decrease daily stress and set you up for a more productive and happy day.  When you learn to control your breathing and thoughts through a practice like meditation it can then be used in stressful day to day situations.  Ever notice your heart beating faster and your breath getting shorter when you are upset? That’s your body's natural response to stress and you can tame that response through controlling your breath and thoughts towards the stressors.  Meditation helps build those skills and we are here to give you a few steps to beginning! Take a look and let us know once you try them!

Take a seat.  You do not need anything fancy to meditate.  That’s the best part! Just take a seat on the floor, a chair or even better, a small pillow (helps the back...trust us).  Get comfortable and feel your body as its connected to the objects around you.

Keep it Short.  When you are first starting out a minute or two will do.  Heck, even 30 seconds of sitting still and focusing on your breath can make a world of difference.  You could be doing this already and not even know you are meditating. Just sent an alarm for one minute and settle into your breathing, focusing on your breath going in and out.  Before you know it that minute will be up and BOOM, you are now someone who meditates.

Be Easy on Yourself.  You are not going to instantly be able to shut off all the thoughts that are running through your mind so be easy on yourself.  When you feel your mind racing or thoughts creeping in while you are trying to focus on your breath, just acknowledge the thoughts and slowly push them away with your mind.  People often refer to it as “noting” when you “note” the thought and then release it. This will get easier with time, so when you are just starting off, don’t get frustrated and just accept these thoughts being around. 

Count your breaths.  If you find that just sitting still and focusing on your breath is not working for you, try counting your breaths.  Count them up to five and then repeat. This will help you stay in the moment and focused on your breathing and not the to-do list you were stressed about before you sat down.

Hopefully these tips help you jump into the meditation pool!  If you want to read a little more on the two different types of mediation check out this article: inlpcenter.org/brains-remarkable-response-to-two-types-of-meditation/

Also, Refocus Bands are great way to help keep your mindset fresh throughout your day! Check them out here.