10 Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice

Do you ever drive home after a shift only to forget how you got there? Do you find yourself on autopilot throughout your day, while doing household chores or slogging through work? Do you feel like you have the attention span of a goldfish? (FYI: that’s the attention span for the majority of the adult population!)

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then I have a solution for you.?

Meditation is a way of training your mind so that you can more easily focus attention and stay in the present moment. Similar to the importance of daily movement, meditation is “exercise for the brain” and has scientifically proven benefits that increase the more often it is practiced.?

Researched benefits of meditation include improved mental health, reduction in chronic pain, resolution of cardiovascular disease (e.g., hypertension), and enhanced immune function, not to mention better memory and mood.?

And the even better news? Everyone can do it! All you need is a short amount of uninterrupted time in your day, a comfortable place to sit or lie down, and an open mind.?

Here are ten tips to help you start (and stick to) a daily meditation practice:

1. Start Today: There is no preparation required to start a meditation practice. While a meditation cushion and serene space are nice in theory, all you really need is a quiet place where you can sit or lie down and not be interrupted. This could be a room in your home, a quiet spot outside, or even sitting in your car (not while driving!).??
2. Sit Comfortably. Despite pictures of people meditating cross-legged or in lotus position, contorting yourself into a pretzel is not necessary. Rather, it is important to sit in a position that is comfortable and will not require shifting or readjustment. You can sit on the floor or in a chair with your hands resting in your lap. Some people prefer to lie down, although it is easier to fall asleep this way and if that isn’t your intention then I suggest staying upright.
3. Notice Your Breath. You don’t necessarily need to listen to a recording to meditate. What you do need is some sort of anchor or reference point to bring your attention back to. For most people, the easiest anchor is the breath. Start by noticing your breath as you breathe in and out including the sensation of the air moving in and out of your nostrils, throat, and lungs. It can be helpful to count each breath and when the mind wanders (which it always does!) begin again at 1 and continue counting from there.?
4. Schedule It In. When introducing any new habit into your life, you will stick with it more successfully if you schedule it into your day. Decide whether first thing in the morning, when you first arrive to work, during your lunch break, or before bedtime will work best for you. Once you settle on a time, try to stick to it each day.??
5. Start Small. While research shows that the benefits of meditation increase the longer in duration that you practice, similar to any new sport or activity, it's best to start small and build up over time. I suggest starting with whatever feels reasonable to you, whether it is 5 minutes or just 5 breaths. From there, you can slowly increase to longer practices.??
6. Join a Group. For some, joining a meditation group helps to hold them accountable and also enables meeting like-minded people and learning more about the practice of meditation. Visit www.meetup.com to search for places in your town or city that have weekly in-person group meditations. EventBrite also features free weekly meditation events that you can attend. Mindful Leader created the Meditate Together platform that offers free 30 minute drop-in online group meditation sessions, on the hour, 24 hours/day, every weekday facilitated by individuals worldwide.?
7. Download an App. There are many applications available for download that will introduce you to a meditation practice and allow you to track your progress. Headspace is a commonly used app that offers a free trial for new meditators that includes beginner meditations and videos that explain the benefits of mindfulness. Ten Percent Happier is also great for learning the basics of meditation.?
8. Use Guided Meditations. Many guided meditation recordings are available as free downloads from iTunes (e.g., Daily Meditation Podcast, Meditation Minis) and Spotify (e.g., Guided Meditation playlist). Consider downloading or streaming some different recordings to see which ones resonate most with you.???
9. Pair It With Something. A great strategy for forming new habits is to stack them onto old habits that you already do daily without having to think of them. For example, you could sit on the couch to meditate in the morning while your coffee or tea is brewing. Or you could lie in bed to meditate before turning in for the night. Pairing habits is more likely to make them stick. ?
10. Try It For 1 Month. I believe anyone can do anything for 30 days. And using a 1 month benchmark is a great opportunity for you to determine whether the habit is resonating with you. Despite being an avid proponent of meditation, I acknowledge that it isn’t for everyone. I urge you to try daily meditation for 1 month and take note of any benefits before you decide whether to continue it indefinitely.?

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk is a small animal emergency and critical care specialist and certified yoga and meditation teacher who passionately advocates for the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary teams. Marie has partnered with CommuniVET this month to offer a 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge with live Q&As and weekly prizes. To participate, please join the private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/30daymindfulnesschallenge .? ????