by Keith Paine..
- Find Time—At Nimble Fitness, we find that the biggest challenge in meditation is making time for it in our busy lives. The simple truth, however, is that you don’t need hours and hours to gain the benefits of meditating. Five or ten minutes of quiet time a day can make a HUGE difference in your stress levels and mindset. Remember, meditation is just the act of quieting down and being present and aware. Nothing more and nothing less. There’s no other goal to reach and nothing to accomplish. The Dalai Lama suggests focusing on one thing when you meditate, so your mind can rest from the hundred other things that race around your head. He uses a candle flame, but you can use anything, even the sound of your breath, to get into a more meditative state. Find 5 minutes in your day and start there!
- Find Space—In an urban environment, this can also seem like a really big hurdle. If you’re thinking that the only way to truly meditate is on a remote mountaintop, that’s probably not going to happen! But if you look for space to meditate during your day, you’ll realize that the opportunities are everywhere: on the subway, in the park, in an empty conference room, etc.
- Find Help—You’re not the only person who struggles with meditation! There are some great apps out there that can provide structure to your quiet time: Bhuddify and Headspace, for example, are 2 popular apps that keep it simple—starting with meditations that are 10 minutes long, max—and also provide down-tempo music and natural sounds to enhance your experience.
