{"id":1766,"date":"2016-08-07T09:50:15","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T01:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/sofia.com.sg\/?p=1766"},"modified":"2021-09-08T18:55:33","modified_gmt":"2021-09-08T10:55:33","slug":"positive-benefits-meditation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.sofia.com.sg\/positive-benefits-meditation\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Positive Benefits of Meditation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four Positive Benefits of Meditation<\/strong><\/h1>\n

From Steve Jobs, Rupert Murdoch, Oprah Winfrey, Ariana Huffington to Lebron James – what is one thing that these wildly successful individuals have in common?\u00a0Well these individuals, along with\u00a0a growing list of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies<\/a>,\u00a0all preach extensively about the benefits of meditation, citing it\u00a0as the key ingredient in\u00a0helping them achieve their success.<\/p>\n

Meditation has been said to reduce stress and anxiety, increase emotional well-being, mental strength and focus, and overall, contribute to a\u00a0healthier body. All of these benefits sound incredible,\u00a0which made me extremely eager to get in on it.<\/p>\n

I had expected it to change my life, but my first few attempts at meditation was frustrating because it was just\u00a0underwhelming<\/em>. At one point, I even hired a Meditation Coach on Coach.me<\/a>, just because I did not feel like I was getting it<\/em>.\u00a0However, I have learnt not to worry so much about how to practice\u00a0it, or if I am doing it correctly, and just go with the flow. Meditation is actually a highly personal process, so I am sharing the four positive benefits that I have personally experienced from my mediation practice.<\/p>\n

For people interested in starting out on meditation, I would recommend using the Headspace app<\/a>\u00a0to guide you in your practice.\"Blond

01 | It Helps You to\u00a0Manage Distressing Situations<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first time I noticed that I was breathing deeply outside of a meditation practice was in one of those ‘Oh Shit!’ moments when I found out that I had been scheduled to meet an important client right away<\/em>. The process of taking deep breaths and counting up to 10 calmed me down substantially, so I was able to appear less anxious (i.e. more like a normal human being).<\/p>\n

Of course, I had plenty of other small ‘oh shit!’ moments after that, such as forgetting to send out an email, or being unable to locate my phone\/wallet\/keys. I find it useful to take deep breaths to calm myself down before going\u00a0to face whatever uncomfortable situation I am in, which sometimes also serves as a source of courage when trying something new.<\/p>\n

\"Restful

02 | It Helps You Get\u00a0Restful Sleep Every Night<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This has been the most\u00a0amazing<\/em> benefit of meditation for me.<\/p>\n

Taking 10 minutes to meditate every night has helped me to fall asleep faster, and\u00a0sleep better\u00a0throughout the night. Previously, I spoke about not being able to sleep well<\/a>\u00a0and shared some tips I used to manage my day after a bad night’s sleep. Now, I’m incredibly happy that I hardly have to use those tips at all!\u00a0I find that I toss and turn around the bed much less, and am able to sleep through the night most of the time.<\/p>\n

03 | It Helps You Be Present in the Moment\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meditation is 10 minutes in a day in which I find myself completely present in the moment. The practice of focusing my attention on\u00a0the sounds around me, on my breathing, and on how my body feels makes me completely aware of the surroundings. Sometimes we are so caught up with the list of things that we have to do that we are always thinking about ‘What’s next?’. It’s good to have a moment or two to appreciate and extend gratitude for the now, before it is gone forever.<\/p>\n

I find that the Body Scan Practice<\/a> is very helpful in\u00a0shifting my focus to the now, by focusing my attention on all parts of my body.<\/p>\n

\"Negative-Thoughts\"