Well hello there my ladies! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. If you’ve been following along on my Instagram stories lately, you’ve seen me start to share a bit more about my health transformation that I’ve embarked on over the last six months. I’ve stopped drinking, started meditating, and gone all in on putting healthy things in my body. The meditation has been the real anchor to all of the positive changes that I’ve made and keep making. Without it, I’m not convinced I’d have the endurance to continue because real change takes work – and work can be stressful! Keeping calm and steady during times of transformation is your best bet for lasting change.
3 REASONS TO MEDITATE NOW
- Stress Management – This is the most important one because it leads to all the other benefits. Less stress means less cortisol (stress hormone) released in your body. Excess cortisol can cause health problems like bad skin, interrupted sleep, elevated blood pressure, and that chest-tightening feeling you might be familiar with called a panic attack (I know it all too well). I’ve noticed that I react better to stressful situations now, too. I remain steady and when I get worried or panicked, I call on my breath to help me through it. A few deep breaths can really settle the mind and body.
- Better Sleep – Who doesn’t want better sleep? I’ve noticed that I sleep better at night now that I have a daily meditation practice. I used to wake up at 2:30am every night stressing out about the day ahead but not being able to do anything about it. This still happens to me every now and then, but it happens less and less. If I have trouble falling asleep or back to sleep after waking up, I will do a light body scan mediation with deep breaths to help me relax and doze off.
- Better Skin – Less cortisol means less stress breakouts. Yep, you read that right. Meditation can indirectly lead to better skin. What acne-prone woman doesn’t want that? I used to get deep cystic acne on my chin and the area surrounding my mouth. Acne in that area of your face is said to be linked directly to hormonal imbalances. It can’t be a coincidence that my skin has cleared up since I started meditating (and stopped drinking which is also known to cause hormonal imbalances).
HOW TO GET STARTED
- Download an app like Calm, Headspace, or 10% Happier to help you get started with guided meditations.
- Start with just a couple minutes a day. Breathe in and out, and when your mind wanders, just come back to your breath.
- Make a nice space for yourself so the time feels sacred. A thick bolster (I recently bought one like this and love it) and some floor pillows make a really nice little meditation spot that’s all yours.
I also recently talked about meditation in my New Year, Same You post, if you’re looking for even more info. You can do this, and you’ll be so glad you did! Namaste my friends!
P.s. Thank you to Pink Blush for gifting me this kimono that I love!
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