From distracted and reactive, to feeling calm and present

During the meditation session I was about to lead, the students were sitting in a comfortable position ready to meditate. They were ready to close their eyes and go inwards.
 
However, before I began leading the guided meditation, I asked them: “before we start, let’s talk about what is going on in the outside world that is influencing your practice.”
 
Students quickly shared that the recent ongoing events on Saturdays during the past month have made everyone feel more nervous, preoccupied, and weary. 
 
They also shared how the intense marketing around the holidays pulls their attention to the outside, not inside, and some went on to explain how this time of the year brings a mix of emotions. 
 
Can you relate?
 
I know I do.  
 
This brief conversation was a good reminder of why it is so important to create space to disconnect from the outside distractions and re-connect inside through a regular meditation practice. 
 
In a Harvard Business Review Article written by Daniel Goldman, he explains how meditation helps us stay calmer under stress. 
 
“Studies have shown that those who practice meditation have a less trigger-happy amygdala. That means the brain is less likely to interpret certain inputs as threats and jump on a defense reaction – be it flight, fight, or freeze.” (1)
 
Yes, meditation is like strengthening a muscle when you go to the gym, except meditation is mental fitness training for your mind. 
 
Meditation won't change the circumstances of your everyday life. It won’t change the thoughts or emotions, but the practice will give you the opportunity to learn how to watch your thoughts pass by (one after the next) without attaching to a particular narrative or without judging it. 
 
One of the students in the class recently explained how showing up once a week to meditate has had a much larger impact on her life than she had expected. She shared how she is feeling calmer and less reactive to stressful situations. 
 
Considering this, I have recently added meditation and yoga sessions to my 90-day coaching program. 
 
So, if you are interested in learning how to train your brain to be less reactive, more present and engaged with the people and things that matter to you the most during 2019, let’s talk.

What you’ll find is a few, steady tweaks, including a very simple mindfulness practice like meditation (3-minutes is a great start!) can have a profound ripple effect in your everyday life: at work, at home and even during the holidays.  
 
Get in touch here to apply for a session with me and let’s see if you and I are a good fit to work together.
 

References:
1. Daniel Goldman. Here's What Mindfulness Is (and Isn't) Good For. Harvard Business Review. September 28, 2017.