In a world full of early morning commutes, packed supermarkets and looming deadlines, it can be hard to find a moment of peace. Add on the constant presence of social media and news outlets and it becomes virtually impossible for our brains to stop going 100mph. If you’ve ever wanted to ram someone with a trolley or spent a restless night worrying about to-do lists, then you know what we’re talking about. Luckily there are things that we can all do to make life a little bit calmer.
Over the past few years, there’s been a rise in the popularity of mindfulness. To put it simply, mindfulness is the practice of training your mind to stay in the present, by letting negative or distracting thoughts pass. Meditation is the most common way this is achieved. Enthusiasts claim that it can help symptoms of anxiety and depression. With 1 in 4 people in the UK suffering from such mental health issues, there has never been a more perfect time to jump headfirst into the world of mindfulness.
We know that it can be pretty daunting at first, so here are four tips to help get you on your way.
1. Just get started!
Meditation doesn’t have to be difficult or take a long time. Just 5 minutes a day will help you find a little bit of peace and mental calm. There are so many guided meditation resources, on YouTube or popular apps like Headspace, which will help you get started. Stop putting it off and just go for it. Your mind will thank you.
2. Form a habit
Once you’ve got into the swing of actually sitting down to meditate, you need to form a habit. Pick a time every day when you’ll be able to set 5-10 minutes aside for your mindfulness practice. We recommend doing it as soon as you wake up (yep, even before your morning coffee!) to get your day started in the best way possible.
Studies show that it takes an average of 21 days to solidify a habit. So work through your mind’s initial resistance and you’ll be meditating regularly before you know it.
3. Don’t get disheartened
Even the most mindful of people have their off days. It’s totally normal to sit down sometimes and feel absolutely incapable of clearing your mind. Even if you only manage one minute of meditation, that’s enough. Don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up!
4. Create a meditation space
If you want to make your meditation practice even more rewarding, adapt your environment to promote calm. As well as dimming the lights and making sure that you have a comfy place to sit, invest in some essential oils. Here at Tender Essence, we know the power that scent has over mood. Each time we meditate we use our diffusers in combination with our favourite calming scents.
The best part is that adapting your environment for meditation will make it easier to form a habit. Your brain will start to associate that area of your room, or the scent of lavender with your practice, making it easier to switch from work to mindful mode.
Lavender, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Lemon and Patchouli are some essential oils that are best suited to meditation. They each help with anxiety or stress-related problems, helping to balance the mind and the body in turn.
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