5 Ways To Improve Your Meditation Practice

5 Ways To Improve Your Meditation Practice
 
Meditation has been proven to strengthen the mind, reduce stress and help make habit change much smoother!
 
However, many people have trouble meditating in the beginning because it does require the concentration and patience to sit in silence.
 
With more distractions now, from social media, Netflix and increasing career demands, than ever before— there’s no surprise that meditation can be a BIG challenge to take on consistently.
 
Here are five ways you can upgrade your meditation practice right away.
 
1. Meditate at the same time daily.
 
When you want to make anything a consistent habit, create a schedule that supports that habit until it feels like brushing your teeth. The secret is to put it into you schedule at a time right after you do something you are used to doing regularly.
 
For instance, after you shower or as soon as you get out of bed.
 
2. Consider a guided meditation.
 
Nowadays, you can find a guided meditation almost anywhere. Search online or try out a free app, such as the Calm app.
 
Meditation is popular so you can easily find a guided meditation to suit your needs until it becomes more natural or you find your own flow.
 
3. FInd a quiet place and make yourself comfortable.
 
Ideally, you want to allow your meditation time to be a time when you are alone.
 
When you make yourself comfortable, you can relax into your meditation without nagging aches and pains or discomfort. Use pillows, blankets or even just a comfy chair. Put in ear plugs and be sure you are not interrupted.
 
4. Journal or write out anything on your mind beforehand.
 
If you are like 99% of people you have a running list of ideas, to do’s, worries that are running through your mind at all times.
 
While you can allow your thoughts to flow by in meditation, you might find it more peaceful to simply leave any concerns on paper before meditation so that you can just take a break from anything that might way heavily on your ability to focus.
 
5. Start small, with 5-10 minutes a day.
 
Even a small amount of time can begin to transform your brain. This also allows you to get into a consistent habit of meditation without a huge time investment.
 
Many people debate that this is not enough to fully get into meditation but in the short term you will begin to train your concentration muscles to focus. Then longer meditation sessions will be easier AND more beneficial using those concentration muscles.
 
Remember that everything gets better with practice and when you begin to make it your own.
 
What are your favorite ways to enhance your meditation practice?