About one year ago, I started the practice of mindfulness and meditation. Being more of a Type A personality, I began to realize that the level of pressure and stress I was putting on myself to accomplish things, was no longer serving me.
In addition, I tend to be more of a worrier, and this was wreaking havoc on my mind, body, and spirit. To make a long story short, someone talked to me about the practice of mindfulness.
At first, I dismissed it. The idea of slowing down and getting in touch with my feelings was foreign to me. It brought to mind visions of hippies chanting in a room full of crystals, candles, and incense. At the same time, I realized there had to be a better way to approach life than going full throttle.
I hired a mindfulness coach through the Center of Wellness and Emotional Health that was recommended to me, here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My first few meetings only confirmed what I was thinking—that this was silly and pointless, and the relaxation and visual exercises were not my cup of tea. At the end of each session, I thought: “This isn’t working. It’s a waste of time and money, and I’m going to quit.”
I don’t know when or how my paradigm shift happened, but somewhere along the way, the wisdom and perspective I received from my coach started to affect me and change me for the better. My coach, Anique, introduced me to a meditation app called “Insight Timer.” It took some time for me to gain the full benefit of the app, but I found taking 5-10 minutes a day to unwind and listen to the words of the teachers who presented guided meditation, often to music, to be quite helpful. It was a way to relax mentally and physically through “letting go.” This resulted in a way to experience gratitude and a connection to the Divine.
One teacher in particular caught my ear. A beautiful, soulful Jewish woman named Tara Brach spoke on “The Rain of Self-Compassion.” Women in our society are often programmed to do more and to be more. Brene Brown, a famous author and speaker, talks about the idea that we live in a culture of scarcity in which not only do we not have enough, but we are not enough.
With self-compassion, we rid ourselves of a tendency to be inwardly negative and critical. As a recovering perfectionist, I recognized this trait in myself. What if we could show ourselves the same kindness and gentleness we would with a friend?
This is where mindfulness and meditation have helped me. This morning, I decided to give this practice a test drive as a result of the intense pain I was having due to an injury. I went to my Insight Timer app and looked for guided meditations on pain. When I was done listening, I was amazed at the calm and peace I felt. I felt ready to approach this day as a gift, and I noticed my focus on my pain had subsided. Talk about mind-body connection!
If you are a skeptic, that’s okay. There are other ways to dial down from stress. Petting a dog or cat, a walk in nature, a hot bath with lavender oil, listening to music, or even journaling can have the same effect.
Finding ways to be present and compassionate towards ourselves and others can greatly improve your quality of life as well as your relationships.
Wishing you a life of healing and Shalom!