Manage Stress through Mindful Meditation

Manage Stress through Mindful Meditation

Going through a life-shaking transition like divorce, separation from a long term relationship, job layoff, downsizing, or relocation can be extremely stressful. Stress is a major cause of energy loss. Between 50 and 70 million Americans have a difficult time sleeping well, and stress is a large part of the problem. We can’t take our minds off that troublesome relationship, our financial woes, a problem that we are trying to solve or a strategy to meet all of the demands placed upon us.

For centuries, people have found relief from stress through meditation. Regular meditation fills you with a sense of inner peace that stays with you long after your meditation ends. Here are three quick ways to add meditation to your day:

• Stop what you’re doing and focus on your breathing. Just follow your breath in and out. If thoughts intrude, let them go and return to following your breath. Five minutes of this will calm you.

• Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a place that represents peace and calm to you. It could be lying on a beach, strolling along a path under the trees, or holding hands with a loved one. Put yourself in the scene in your imagination. Experience it fully, as if you were there. Do this for five minutes, and you will feel refreshed and peaceful.

• Choose a word that has meaning for you, such as “peace,” “calm,” “love.” Repeat it slowly to yourself for several minutes, concentrating on the feeling it creates in you. You will carry the feeling with you long after your quick meditation ends.

For best results, try to meditate in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Meditation doesn’t have to take a lot of time. You can do it at your desk, while riding public transportation, or when sitting in your living room during a commercial break on television. The key to success is to just do it. It’s amazing how simple and effective it is to release stress.