Staying Sane for Spring
by Mimi & Vera Levin, Tastemakers in Residence
Sometimes it’s really tough to get out of your winter slump. Maybe the cold weather had you moving slower than you usually do. Maybe the snow had you wanting to do nothing but curl up in a big cozy blanket by the fire. Maybe the lack of sunshine and warmth had you down in the dumps. I am usually quite familiar with all of these feelings! This past winter, however, was different. Starting on January 1st, I committed to ten minutes of meditation every day. Every day, I sit with my eyes closed and try to push away any thoughts, judgments, and to-do lists. As the snow melts this year and as time seems to speed up, mindfulness practice helps me to stay sane.
Not only does meditation help me feel less stressed and anxious, it makes me feel more optimistic, happy, and aware. Additionally, it has greatly improved my energy levels and focus. If you choose to incorporate mindfulness into your life and if you commit to meditating daily, I think you will experience these benefits too. Meditation is not a hoax. It really works! If you would like to pursue mindfulness meditation, here are three simple tips that I used to get started.
- Choose a time to meditate and stick with that time. I have found that meditating at a consistent time has helped me to develop a steady and regular practice.
- Find a comfortable and quiet place to meditate. You can choose to meditate while sitting on the ground or sitting on a chair, whatever is most comfortable for you. I prefer to sit on the ground on a pillow. Sit tall, and close your eyes.
- Choose how long you would like to meditate for, and commit to that length of time. I meditate every day for ten minutes. If this seems like too long when you are beginning your practice, choose to meditate for three minutes. Then work your way to five minutes and soon enough you will have reached ten minutes of meditation.
- Focus on your breathing. My mind sometimes wanders when I meditate, and this is normal. Every time this happens, I bring my attention back to my breath. I picture the air moving into my body and then back out. This helps me to re-focus my attention on my breathing.