‘Will Meditation Make a Difference in My Life?’ Here are Three Reasons You Should Start Meditating
I have to be honest: not only did I previously find mediation incredibly difficult, but I also thought it wasn't even worth doing. I struggled to meditate for 5 minutes, let alone 30 minutes daily! So what changed? After spending 10 days in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand, I came to a definite conclusion: Meditation is not only helpful in regaining control over your mind; it is essential! If you can't quiet your mind for 10 minutes, then how can you expect to be in control of your mind in the outside world?
Mediating doesn't have to be a big deal. You can start with 10 minutes a day, and once it becomes easier, work your way up to 20, 30 and so on. You will be astonished with your progress and will notice vast changes in your everyday life.
Here are three reasoons you should start meditating
Better Concentration
With all the modern world's distractions, it is increasingly challenging to remain concentrated. I believed that since I read a lot and played a lot of sports, my concentration levels weren't that bad. I was wrong; meditation exposed just how terrible my concentration levels were. The mind resembles an indecisive baby surrounded by sweets and toys, bouncing from one object to the next. We jump from thoughts connected to other thoughts, and before you know it, you have no idea where you started. Meditating automatically trains the mind to concentrate on the present instead of getting lost in the forest of thought.
2. Heightened Awareness
Meditation trains the mind to concentrate and not become distracted, improving one's level of awareness. By becoming more aware of yourself, you automatically enhance your awareness of the world around you. Social situations and interactions will start to feel more in your control because you have trained your mind not to be engulfed by distraction. You may even begin to recognise a lack of awareness in others. By increasing your level of awareness, mediating can help you observe your thoughts rather than getting carried away with the stories and narratives that our mind attaches to people and situations.
3. Depression and Anxiety
Meditating is all about being in the present moment, which is the exact opposite of depression and anxiety. These two conditions exist solely in regret over the past and worries about the future. By training your mind to become more aware and exist only in the present moment, you realise you cannot change the past and dictate the future because the present creates the future. Therefore, by making meditation a habit, you make it a habit not to be sucked into the rabbit hole of thoughts that lead to depression and anxiety. By training your mind, you can quite literally never be depressed or anxious again. That is not to say you will never be sad again, but you will treat negativity like you would a thought: observe it, accept it and watch it fade away.
This list could be far longer than just three benefits because consistent mediation is a game changer. By observing your thoughts, you develop the ability to control the direction of your mind. And by controlling your mind, you control your reality. Mediation has changed my life, so much so that I cannot imagine waking up and not meditating. The beginning is tough, but you will reap the benefits by making it a habit. And once it becomes a habit, it will no longer be a chore.