3 Things I’ve Gained From 3 Minutes of Daily Meditation
I started meditating daily about a month ago, and just 3-5 minutes a day (yes, 3 minutes) has significantly improved my day-to-day life. The simple act of trying to clear your mind, observing when thoughts creep in, and then gently pushing those thoughts away, is surprisingly impactful.
Here are the top 3 things I’ve gained from just a few minutes of daily meditation:
- Better control over thoughts and emotions: I’ve gained control over what I think about and when I think about it, which is empowering, reassuring, and calming. If it makes me anxious to think about something when being anxious would be counterproductive, I’m better able to set it aside. When I feel a twinge of frustration about something, I now have the ability to look at it (without letting it become a part of me) and say, “You know what, it doesn’t really matter,” and then dismiss it. I love having this new skill, and it’s surprising how much easier it makes every part of life.
- Better sleep: I know I’m not the only person who wakes up in the middle of the night, or has trouble sleeping, because I have too much on my mind. Knowing how to effectively clear my mind has helped me get better sleep than I have in years.
- A new sense of calm: I like making life simple and organized. The only problem is that as soon as you assume you’re ‘getting a handle on things,’ life throws more complications your way. Instead of frantically trying to manage it all, meditation is my loophole: I’m now okay with the idea that I can’t, and I never will (nor will anyone else), and it’s okay to have a bunch of little loose ends. As someone with a Type A personality, I never thought I’d be able to loosen up enough to sit down and clear my mind for 3 minutes, much less take on this type of carefree attitude toward tasks that don’t necessarily matter a whole lot. I’m just a little bit proud of that.
Happy meditating.