The Benefits of Meditation: Practicing Mindfulness for Improved Mental and Physical Health

Meditation is one of those things I just couldn't bring myself to try until recently. Part of this has to do with how busy my life became after moving to California. But when I finally decided to give it a shot, I was surprised to find out that meditation wasn't nearly as difficult as I had anticipated.


I decided to give it a shot after reading an article about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation on MindBodyGreen. This article pointed out that meditation is scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve memory, and decrease blood pressure.

And once I started practicing, it was even easier to stick with. Here's what I learned over the course of three months of daily practice.

Step 1: Start Small

Meditation can be intimidating because there's so much to learn. So, start small and work your way up. The most important thing is to have fun with it. That's why it's also called a practice, because it takes commitment and dedication.

I did just that. My first few days of practice I just tried to sit and enjoy the music I was listening to. I didn't worry too much about how long I sat or what I was focusing on. I just focused on my breath, enjoying the silence and calmness.

Step 2: Choose a Time & Place

As I mentioned earlier, meditation requires a lot of dedication and focus. While there's no reason you can't meditate any time of day, my experience has shown me that it's much easier to focus when you're alone.

Try to find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. That's when you'll be most successful. I started out meditating in the car because I was working from home and had an extra 30 minutes to spend.

When you're ready, choose a time and location for your meditation. You'll need to find something conducive to meditation, such as music that will help you calm down, a place to relax, and some water nearby.

You might also consider meditating before bed because you may find you'll sleep better.

Step 3: Begin Meditating

When you choose your time and place for meditation, you should be ready to go. But here's where I've found it's helpful to have a plan. It's okay to just sit and think. For me, though, I find it helpful to choose a specific goal.

I decided to meditate before going to bed because I found that being too tired made it harder to concentrate. Also, I find it easier to wake up with the idea of starting the day fresh in mind.

To keep myself focused, I use guided meditations available online. For me, my favorite is called "Calm Relaxation Music" by the Dalai Lama.

I find that listening to my favorite podcasts or relaxing music works well for me, as well. You don't need anything fancy to meditate. All you need is yourself and a desire to make the most of your time.