Something I hear a lot is that women want to try some sort of meditation or deep breathing exercises but just aren't sure where to start, how to fit it into their day without forgetting, or are just plain intimidated by it.
All of these barriers can be nixed by a quick download on your smart phone! (Love them or hate them… what would we do without these things?)
Apps like Simple Habit, Calm, Insight Timer, or Headspace are great tools for exploring ways to bring more peace into your life. The apps let you choose your primary goal, from managing anxiety to getting better sleep, and with a quick setup, they are tailored to you. Of course, like most apps these days, you have to pay for a subscription to access their full offerings, but I think the free versions of these apps have a lot to offer.
So, download one of the apps (or a couple so you can compare!), and when you set it up, make sure you enable notifications. This part is HUGE when you're trying to get started because they'll notify you when it's time to meditate
How many times do you have something on your to do list that you really want/need to get done, but somehow you remember as you're falling asleep? Ain't no way you're getting up to do anything at that point.
You get to decide when/how often they prompt you to meditate or find a moment to be mindful. And, of course, if you find yourself with a few minutes during your day when you need to get your focus or calm your nerves, you can do that too.
One of my favorite things is on Calm. It's super easy. It's just deep breathing, but it has a visual prompt to help you slow your breathing down and increase the length of your breaths, which is wonderful for stress relief, improving focus, decreasing anxiety, and on and on. AND you can do this for as long as you want or as little amount of time as you have.. Even 1 or 2 deep breaths can help!
So, let's review those stumbling blocks:
Meditation is hard/intimidating: ✔️ (they make it so easy!)
You always forget to do it: ✔️ (notifications!!)
You don't know where to start: ✔️ (start by downloading one!)
It takes too much time: ✔️ (as little as 1 breath!)
What other barriers do y'all have to getting into a meditation routine?
..erin..
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