I know it may seem impossible at times but we all have 5 minutes to spare for ourselves during the day. Some of us might even have 10, but I won't push it.
So you find these 5 minutes, morning is preferable but if you can't do it then just find your spare 5 whenever you can.
Make sure it's quiet. This again may seem like an unattainable feat but seriously, if you have to go lock yourself in the bathroom- do it.
For this entire five minutes you are going to do absolutely nothing. You’re not going to talk, you’re not going to move and most importantly you’re not going to think.
All you're going to do is breathe and listen to your breathe.
Locate some kind of timer or alarm that you can set to go off in 5 minutes; you don't want to be distracted by constantly checking your watch.
Find a comfortable seat in your quiet place and bring yourself to total stillness. This is harder than you think so don't get frustrated but if you want your mind to calm, you have to start with the body.
Now take some deep full breaths. Count to 3 or 4 on the way in and count to 3 or 4 on the way out. When you feel your body begin to relax, return to your normal breath.
If you start thinking about work, the groceries or the 10 other things you could be doing during this time, start up that deep breath with the count again.
If you’re going to think about anything think about letting go.
Once your timer or alarm has beeped you can get up and start your day.
Congratulations, you just meditated.
Now you are probably asking why in the hell would I want to do this?
Taking five minutes out of your day to focus on yourself can make all the difference between keeping a balanced, level head and being a stressed out disaster.
I try to do 5-10 minutes on weekdays and 20-30 minutes on the weekends and believe me my home and the world in general are a much safer place because of it!!
Sitting still or meditation is also extremely beneficial both physically and mentally.
You don't have to don robes and go sit in a cave for three hours either. It's an accessible practice that helps us grow and begin to understand ourselves better.
Happiness is about finding balance. By taking 5 minutes a day to be still we begin to counter the effects of our very hectic, active, and stressful lifestyles.
So take 5, then 10 or maybe even 20 if you have the time. Stick with it for at least 4 weeks and pay attention to how you feel. I promise you won't regret it.
