In this fast-paced world where few people even sit on the toilet without a device in hand, disconnecting from the world has become a rare occurrence. For many, staying wired in and on top of every new development seems a required part of being an active member of society.
While this feeling is understandable, the ramification of remaining continually plugged in may be quite severe. If your finding yourself feeling increasingly stressed, frazzled and hurried, you might be well overdue for a disconnect. Break away from the world and focus on yourself through meditation. When you do, commit. Dive in and dedicate yourself to this practice. After 100 days of sustained participation, you will likely find the rewards numerous and impactful.
Enhanced Focus
With plates full to the point of overflowing it’s no surprise that many people start their day rushed and distracted. For many, the morning routine isn’t a relaxing time of day but instead a time to ruminate on the myriad tasks that lay ahead, trying in vain to build and retain a mental list of tasks that need to be completed. Not only is starting the day this way a recipe for frustration – after all, you’ll never be able to remember everything – it’s also tremendously stress-inducing. Whether performed as a before-bed ritual or a wake-up routine, meditating provides an easy and effective way to declutter the mind and restore the previously banished focus and clarity.
Improved Thoughtfulness
In a rush to move from one task to the other, many people act in haste, speaking before fully considering what they are going to say or fully weighing the consequences of each statement. When participating in a structured course of meditation, many find that they are better able to resist the urge to act in haste. This can prove beneficial in building relationships, both personal and professional. Not only do dedicated mediators do a better job at stopping to think and thereby avoiding saying the wrong thing, they often engage in reflection after the fact, improving the quality of future interactions with people in their lives.
Heightened Empathy
An unfortunate byproduct of being overwhelmed is failing to empathize with people. Many rushed individuals feel that they barely have time to focus on themselves and, as a result, don’t feel capable of putting themselves in other’s shoes. By slowing down and focusing on what’s important, meditators improve their natural abilities to connect with people both physically and emotionally. As they gradually clear their minds of clutter, they create space for the thoughtfulness and contemplation necessary to empathize.
Increased Energy
Even as their heads hit the pillow, many people’s minds keep spinning, worrying over the challenges of the previous day and the obstacles they have to traverse in the days to come. This transforms many people’s nights of rest and relaxation into periods of tossing and turning between fits of light sleep. When engaged in a sustained course of meditation, devotees often find themselves capable of clearing their minds. This free-from-worried mind comes in handy when the sun sets, as these individuals are then able to hit the pillow hard and sleep restfully, resulting in truly recharging nights of sleep and enhanced energy the next day.
Upgraded Diet
Many individuals naturally react to the stress of their lives by mindlessly munching. While some manage to confine their cravings to healthy edibles, many aren’t so lucky. They instead drift toward unhealthy, albeit delicious, foods. By improving their levels of clarity through meditation, practitioners often find themselves more capable of dedicating the appropriate amount of attention to food selection. With this ability to think about the items they put in their bodies, they are often capable of improving the quality and healthfulness of their overall diet.
Bolstered Self-Esteem
Successfully dedicating one’s self to anything for an extended period is something of which the individual can be proud. Upon completing an extended course of meditation, many people find themselves more confident and hold themselves in a higher regard. Not only do these dedicated meditators have an improved connection with themselves, they also benefit from the pride that comes simply from making a plan and sticking to it; something that is so rare in these on-the-go barely-scraping-by times.
