Calming Your Mind – Easy To Do Meditation Tips

A wonderful way to clear the mind of the stresses and worries of the day is via Meditation. Some people have preconceived notions of meditation being difficult and think “How in the world do I have time to sit and MEDITATE every day?”. However, with some practice and intentionality, you will find that taking time to meditate is not hard at all.

Tips on how to start your meditative practice

What’s one of the hardest parts about developing a meditative practice? Hint: I mentioned it in the paragraph above – Intentionality! In fact, the hardest part has nothing at all to do with actually meditating.

The key is to JUST. GET. STARTED. Once you start to see the power in meditating and the results it brings you, it becomes habit. You will begin to intentionally carve out time to meditate regularly. Starting out may be tough because forming a new habit can be, but remember to get started and stay consistent. It takes 21 days to form a new habit!

Set a goal of meditating daily for at least 4 weeks- remember, it takes 21 days to form a new habit, but I suggest you push yourself a bit further and go for 4 weeks! Once you get to the end of the 4 weeks, evaluate the process and whether the meditation has made a difference for you

Try these meditation tips below:

1.    Decide on a consistent time every day to meditate. Start with small time periods – 15 min in the beginning. As the weeks move on, shoot for 20-30 min daily. Many people find that setting aside this time right as they wake up in the morning or before they go to bed at night works for them. I like to close my eyes and meditate at my desk during lunch. Whatever time you choose, make it a priority.

2.    Mediate in a chair or if you choose the floor, that’s fine too. I would personally refrain from lying down to meditate. Lying down signals “sleep” to our bodies. Try not to slouch, either. Rest your hands in your lap and pay attention to the feeling of the chair, floor, etc you are sitting in or on. 

3.    Direct your attention to your breath. Focus on your breathing in and out….in and out……in and out. Really pay attention to your breathing. One thing I always do with my patients when I’m administering injections or performing any procedures that may be painful is to have the patient focus on their breathing…”Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.” Imagine breathing IN good energy and breathing OUT the bad energy with each cycle. Focus on making those breaths long, deep breaths

4.    Your mind will likely wander and that’s ok. Allow those thoughts and then let them fade away. As well as you can, refocus your attention on your breathing.

5.    Meditation should definitely relax you  – too relaxed and you will likely fall asleep. Resist the urge to sleep. Fight the urge to sleep. Maintaining that good posture helps. 

6.    Stay consistent. Set an alarm to remind you to meditate or write it in your daily planner or on a sticky note. Once mediating becomes a habit, it will likely not feel like a chore. There will certainly be days that get so hectic that you may skip meditating in a formal sense, but consistency will allow it to become second nature. When I get overwhelmed looking at a full email inbox daily, I literally take my hands off my keyboard, close my eyes and breathe deeply in what I like to think of as “mini meditation sessions”.

Meditation helps us focus, brings a peaceful perspective to our life and relieves stress. It is used to energize as well as relax, motivate and bring calm. Our brains take in A LOT of information daily – treat it to a break and be rewarded with the benefits meditation brings!

Dr. Carmen April-Washington is an entrepreneur, community leader, and living enthusiast. For over 20 years, Dr. Carmen has been leading teams and empowering others to design their lives with intention. She’s been recognized as a 2021 Junior League of Nashville Outstanding Active of the Year Paragon Award recipient, 2020 Nashville Business Journal Women of Influence Award Recipient, Nashville Emerging Leader (NELA) Award Winner, a Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient, is a Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter, Young Leaders Council (YLC) Leadership Institute and is a Nashville Power Moves Award Winner. She’s a Podiatrist and Owner of The Foot And Ankle Healthcare Center in the Nashville, TN area. She’s also the creator/owner of “Design Your Story Coaching & Consulting” and is available for Enneagram Coaching & Consulting and speaking engagements on Small Business Entrepreneurship.