Stress! Are you stressed during this holiday season? Running errands, attending parties, hosting parties, buying gifts, attending kids’ events, shopping, and the list goes on! With your to do list growing I am willing to bet that meditation is not the highest priority on your “to do” list if it even made it to your list. If you want to combat your stress, and go through your day with more ease and grace, devoting even a few minutes a day to meditation will make a huge difference.

According to Merriam-Webster: meditation is “to engage in contemplation or reflection, to engage in mental exercise, or to focus on one’s thoughts.”

If you are ready to meditate and don’t know how, or have tried meditation and feel like it doesn’t work for you, I have some more ideas and suggestions. I hope to inspire you to try another form of meditation.

1. Guided meditations: There are many guided meditations that you can download, buy or get for free online. Here is a link to some I found after a quick search. Find one that works for you, download it to your phone and find a short block of uninterrupted time to listen to the meditation. Some people find it easier to listen in their car during their lunch break, others have found that meditation works best at night or in the morning before they start their day.

http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22

2. Focus meditation: Focus meditation is in a nutshell, focusing on something for a period of time. With this type of meditation you can focus on an object, thought, or mantra. A mantra is simply a short phrase or word that you repeat to yourself or out loud during the meditation. Some examples of mantras include: “Om” or “I AM”.   You can also focus on a candle, picture or religious object that you place in front of you.

3. Breathing: I have discussed breathing meditations before so for some of you this is a review. Breathing is probably one of the simplest types of meditation that you can practice. There are many types of breathing meditations, one easy one to start with, is the count your breaths. Breathe in slowly and count one, hold your breath for one count, then breathe out slowly for one. Repeat this sequence for 10 to 20 breaths.

4. Walking: Talking a walk in nature can also serve as a wonderful form of meditation. If you need some fresh air, go outside with the intention of regaining focus. When you are walking outside take time to focus on your surroundings. Really notice the flowers, trees, skies, houses, etc

5. Coloring/Drawing: Spend a few minutes of uninterrupted time coloring something you like, maybe a spiritual symbol. I know one of my coaches, Minette, recommends coloring Mandalas. She has some wonderful examples on her website.

6. Journaling: Spend a few minutes free writing. Write down anything and everything that comes to your mind when you write. Let it all flow, don’t hold back. Writing things down can be therapeutic and a great stress reliever.

My hope for you is that you are able to try at least one form of meditation that works for you that will help you relieve some stress during this busy time.

If you like what you have learned and need some help implementing some positive change in your life click here to schedule a complimentary 30 minute strategy session.