Whose idea was this?

Mindfulness-based approaches have increased in popularity over recent decades. Meditation is a technique that is practiced to rest our minds and attain a level of consciousness that is different from our normal waking state. Meditation has been used for centuries to aid in calming and relaxation, helping to reduce brain chatter. This approach can also help those struggling with illness, improve psychological balance, and overall health and well-being. Some common conditions that meditation helps with are: lack of focus, pain, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and smoking cessation. Since I struggle with anxiety, ADD, depression, and am insanely stressed and sad these days, I thought meditation would be a great approach to try.



A majority of our behavior runs on autopilot. Our thoughts roaming and not controlled, or being present in the moment. This happens to me a lot when I am spending time with my children. Instead of soaking in the moments of their snuggles and their laughter or conversation, my mind is racing- What is for dinner? How fast can we get their homework done before bath time? Did I leave the clothes in the washer machine again? If I don’t do laundry today, is there enough clean underwear for tomorrow? Am I supposed to pay the daycare bill tomorrow or next week? It’s endless and exhausting. While those are all really important matters to attend to, I want to be present in those moments with my children, and gain some more control over my focus.

Finally, of all the choices, meditation seemed to be the most conducive to my schedule and the craziness. I didn't have to leave my house. I didn't have to make it to a yoga class at a specific time and worry about child care. I could just squeeze it in at my own home, not having to haul two children to another location.

I read that when you mediate, you give yourself an inner vacation. And what tired mom doesn’t need that?

It is also incredibly simple to do on your own, but difficult to accomplish successfully in the beginning.

1. Find a quiet area to sit or lie comfortably.

2. Close your eyes. Breathe naturally and make no effort to control your breathing.

3. Focus on your breathing and how your body moves with both inhales and exhales. One tip is to focus on where you are feeling your breath the most. In your chest? Your nose? This can help keep your focus on your breathing.

4. If your attention wanders, focus back on your breathing.

Beginners can usually only do this for a couple minutes before their mind begins to wander. However, you can work up to longer periods of time with practice.