When was the last time you took a few seconds to just sit with your breath?  If it’s been awhile, you’re not alone.  Up until last year, I never put much thought into conscious breathing, aka meditation.  With one year in the books, I can say it has positively influenced almost every aspect of my life and exceeded my expectations beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I was skeptical at first and it took a few tries to really get into a ‘flow’ but it has been a game-changer ever since.  If you’re unfamiliar with meditation, the best way I could describe it would be observing thoughts that come up, honoring them and just letting them go.  A metaphor that stuck with me early on was thinking of your thoughts in the same way you would traffic on a road – some days are quiet, some busy.  On the busy days (pre-meditation) I’d try to get involved in the traffic by judging, and thinking what I could have, should have done.  Now when a thought comes up, I’ll honor it, let it pass, sometimes wave at it.  It’s made me much more responsive (positive) than reactive (negative) in everyday situations.

Meditation has become the foundation of my days and something I look forward.  The following lessons are things I’ve either learned in the past year or have become much clearer through this journey.

1. Your worth is NOT tied to any job, title, dollar amount or person.
2. The world owes you nothing. If you want something, put your head down and work your a** for it.  Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.  If things don’t go as planned don’t be afraid to pivot and go in a different direction. You only get one life to live.
3. The most important relationship you will have in your life is the one with yourself. If you are having issues with someone else, take a step back and ask yourself, am I adding to the problem or working towards a solution?
4. Life isn’t about what you do every once in awhile or when you feel like it but what you do consistently, day in and day out. Overnight success rarely happens and if it does, how long will it last…?
5. It’s never too late to start something (new job/relationship/language) or too late to end something that is no longer working or serving you.
6. The more comfortable you become with yourself, the good, bad and ugly, the easier life gets. Less perfectionism, more progression.
7. Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re probably right (Henry Ford). Think you can complete that marathon?  You’ll figure out a way to get it done.  Think you can’t?  You’ll find any and every excuse not to train.
8. Sometimes the best response to someone or something is silence. Especially in this age of social media, not responding can be your best response.
9. Patience isn’t just about waiting but how you wait. One of my favorite experiences I’ve had since meditating was waiting at the bank teller to deposit a check.  The ATM card reader was broken causing everything to be manually inputted.  Instead of getting annoyed and impatient, I told myself ‘It’s no one’s fault, why get mad about something you can’t control?’
10. The harder you try to be happy 24/7, the unhappier you will become. Embrace the ebbs and flows life throws at you, with a smile.
11. Stop trying to impress people that you don’t really care about you. Aim to make yourself proud, even if it doesn’t get any recognition at all.
12. The mind is trainable. Like exercise, the more you work on it, the easier and stronger you get.
13. The best medicine for unhappiness/depression/(insert negative experience/feelings) is gratitude! Instead of reaching for a pill, drink or food to numb the pain, think of things you’re grateful for.  It can be as simple as a stranger saying ‘good morning’ to you.
14. If you’re looking for someone to change your life, take a look in the mirror – insert Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” Change is uncomfortable, ugly and downright scary but in the end, it’s worth it.
15. If you’re having a bad day, week or month do something for someone else. It’s probably the last thing you want to do, but sometimes the last thing you want to do is the best thing you can do for yourself.
16. ‘The bad news is nothing last forever, the good news is nothing lasts forever.’ (J. Cole)
17. Don’t chase money, fame, people or things. Chase joy and things that make you feel alive.  It may seem like the big things (house, car, job) matter, but it’s the little things that will fulfill you at the end of the day.
18. Adopting a ‘beginners’ mindset/attitude keeps you open to endless learning and possibilities. An ‘expert’ mindset/attitude shuts you off to growth and learning something new.

I’m a firm believer that if everyone gave meditation a try, our world would at least 5% more peaceful, loving, patient and compassionate. It might not sound like a big change but you never know how positively influencing one person can change their life and the lives of others.

So are you convinced to give it a try yet?  Would love to hear how your experience has been or if any of the lessons resonate with you.

QOTP: “The goal of meditation isn’t to control your thought, it’s to stop letting them control you.” –unknown