“Take a few deep breaths.
Now, relax.
Release everything that happened today.
I am here for you.
You are exactly where you are meant to be tonight. With me, embracing you in bed, lulling you to sleep…”
Yes, sometimes I fall asleep at night in my marital bed with Ross, Dennis, Cody, even Anna or Chelsea (I’m open-minded, ya’ll) with my husband, Andrew, reading beside me.
He’s surprisingly ok with it too.
Well, except for the fact that he puts in earplugs so he doesn’t fall asleep too.
I first attempted a meditation six years ago.
Try it, I read. It will help you relax. It will help you focus. It will help you clear your cluttered mind.
I couldn’t even sit still for 60 seconds. Focus on my breath? Not on your life. Repeat this mind-numbing mantra? Yeah, whatever. My body rebelled. My mind was racing and I was fidgety.
So that first attempt at meditation lasted a day and it was, needless to say, a big bust.
Fast forward a couple of years and I give meditation another shot after continuing to read about the benefits to mind, body, and spirit.
I tested numerous meditation apps and sat (and laid) with numerous teachers.
Mindfulness meditation.
Loving-kindness meditation.
Transcendental meditation.
You name it. I’ve probably tried it.
But you know what I’ve discovered about meditation?
For me, the meditation style is irrelevant. I’ve discovered that simply by training myself to sit still, my mind slows down exponentially, which really is the entire point of meditation—training your mind to cease its endless vomiting stream of thoughts, judgments, stories and planning.
I’ve removed the pressure from myself of ceasing my thoughts altogether during my meditation time and I’m certainly not striving to attain “enlightenment” (whatever that means).
Nope, I meditate daily—usually in the morning after my workout but sometimes as night too—because it makes me a happier person. It helps me focus better. It helps me gain a clearer perspective of the important things in my life.
I’m currently a big fan of Mark & Juliana with Boho Beautiful for both my yoga and meditation practice.
What about you? What helps you to relax? I’d love to hear!
Kristen “Meditating Lawyer” Marks
P.S. It might be time to review or update your estate planning affairs. (It is if it’s been at least 5 years since you last did so.) If you’re a Florida resident, call us and we can help: 850-439-1191
P.P.S. In other news, if you are a consistent reader, “He Who Must Not Be Named” is still doing great and traveling the world. I’ve lost track of the number of countries he’s visited since January and I need to look at an online map every week when he tells me where he is. It’s an experience of a lifetime and his dad and I enjoy hearing about his adventures abroad.
