Meditate Awake

DAILY INSIGHT Did you know that moving house is up there with the top most stressful experiences in life? Shifting your life from under one roof to another can bring up a whole host of unexpected emotions, and has your cortisol stress hormone levels rising high. Have you moved recently — or are you planning a relocation soon? If so, it’s important to integrate some crucial self care into the transition. DAILY ACTION Care for your mind and emotions during a house move. Even moving a few blocks away has an important impact on your stress levels; but moving to a new town, city, region or country is more likely to affect your mental health. Make a commitment to yourself to pause and breathe; and once you’re in your new home, put some comforting rituals in place to help you settle in. Simple actions like finding a shop or cafe you like that you can go to every day or two, creating familiarity; unpacking your favorite coffee mug right away; and taking time to sit and be present in very corner of your new space

DAILY INSIGHT The sun helps you sleep. A study by psychiatrists Campbell, Dawson and Anderson found that bright light exposure during the day time improves sleep quality and duration, and shortens the time it takes to fall asleep by 83%. It doesn’t have to be sunlight; artificial bright lights that simulate the experience of natural light have marked positive effects, too. DAILY ACTION Get outside! Ideally, we’d all spend a few hours every single day outside, allowing our bodies to fall into rhythm with our environment. If a few hours aren’t possible, do what you can. Get out for a short walk, or sit by an open window if you really need to be inside.

Meditate with your body for one minute! Right now. Place both hands on your ribcage, with your fingertips just touching in the center. Slow down the breath and notice the way the ribcage expands and relaxes with each inhale and exhale. As you breathe in, the fingertips move away from each other. As you breathe out, the fingertips drop closer together. Then, move your hands around so that your arms are crossed — and if you’re hugging yourself. Your palms press into the sides of the ribs and your fingertips might reach around towards the back of the ribcage. Feel the breath here. Expansion on the inhale; and the lift of the shoulders. Relaxation and softening on the exhale. Take five more deep breaths before you release.

DAILY INSIGHT Creating new beliefs is a powerful way to shift your mindset. It may sound too simple — but over and over again, influential people in all fields of life show us that the beliefs you choose really can become your truth. Think Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Bezos. They have all spoken about choosing the beliefs they focus on; and they’ve all achieved incredible things as a result. DAILY ACTION Create a compelling belief to begin reshaping your mindset. Compose a belief that directly addresses a limitation that holds you back right now. If you struggle with low self-esteem, create a belief that speaks to your innate worthiness; a belief that you are valuable and capable. If you struggle with low mood, anxiety, or even depression, create a belief that you WILL feel joyful and fulfilled. It may not become your reality immediately, but by building and then repeating that belief to yourself, you will begin to move towards positive change.

DAILY INSIGHT In terms of self-image, our bodies are more complicated to us than to anyone else who sees them. Each of us notices every imperfection — if there’s any such thing as an imperfection — and worries about the details of our physical body. Some of us worry so much that thoughts about our bodies are exhausting. But nobody else sees your body the way you do. To others, your body is more simple; its details are less obvious, and more beautiful. If you stopped worrying about your body, what could you do with all that extra thought power? DAILY ACTION Think about how you see other people’s bodies. Is it simpler than the way you see your own? Imagine talking to yourself about your body worries as if you were talking to a friend about theirs. You’d tell them they’re perfect just the way they are, wouldn’t you?

DAILY INSIGHT Are you craving a loving relationship? Studies show that one of the factors involved in falling in love is ‘propinquity’; that is, familiarity that comes about because you spend time with the other person, live near them, or think about them frequently. DAILY ACTION If there are (preferably single) people in your life who you spend lots of time with, or who you think about a lot, don’t suppress feelings that may grow for them. Lots of us push away flickers or romantic intrigue about people we already know — we tell ourselves that it’s not possible, that it would compromise friendships, that it would be too strange. But lots of incredibly strong and loving relationships grow from less intense connections. Be open to the intrigue, and if it’s reciprocated, give yourself a chance to explore it.

DAILY INSIGHT If you’re an entrepreneur or business owner, being visible in your business can be a key factor in your ability to build trust with clients. If they can see you, hear your voice, and get to know your opinions, they are more likely to want to work with you. They know who you are. How comfortable are you with being visible in your business? Do you show your face? DAILY ACTION Do one thing to make yourself more visible. That might be…posting a video of you talking, sharing an opinion, on social media. Launching social media accounts if you don’t already have them. Making a podcast; sharing something personal about your life experience; or even just posting a headshot on your website if you haven’t yet done that. Put yourself out there.

Have you heard of autogenics? Developed by a German psychiatrist, it’s a relaxation training technique which anyone can learn — and it’s effective for easing feelings of stress and anxiety. It works by using a series of statements that create feelings of heaviness and warmth in different areas of the body. This has a relaxing effect on the nervous system. Autogenic training is known to reduce the experience of anxiety and help you to feel calm in situations that you might usually find very stressful — such as social events or performances. It becomes more effective the more you practice it. So eventually a simple, single statement could be enough to induce a conditioned state of relaxation at any time.

DAILY INSIGHT: Research published by the Sleep Foundation shows that meditation could be the perfect tonic for insomnia. Deep relaxation through meditation has been found to increase the amount of time you spend asleep; improve the quality of your sleep; and make it easier to fall asleep. This is particularly exciting because meditation is completely safe and brings lots of other brilliant benefits into your life at the same time. And you can safely combine it with other sleep techniques, too. DAILY ACTION: You guessed it — try meditating today. If you’re not sure where to start, wait for our practice-focused post at the end of this week. We’ll share a simple meditation technique that’s perfect for sleep.

When you wake up tomorrow morning, try this. Acknowledge that you’ve woken up: open your eyes, have a stretch, and mentally welcome the day. But instead of a) getting up right away, or b) rolling over and drifting back to sleep, set a timer on your watch or phone for 3 minutes and then close your eyes again. For the duration of those 3 minutes, notice every sound and sensation that comes your way. You might notice sounds from outside of the window or from elsewhere in the house; the texture of sheets against your skin; or the temperature of the air around you compared with the warmth of your body in bed. Keep noticing. And then when the timer goes off, take a deep breath; open your eyes; and get out of bed. You will start the day having already meditated — and an underlying sense of calm and steadiness will stay with you all day.

DAILY INSIGHT: “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” —Lao Tzu. It’s important to loosen your grip on who you think you should be in order to welcome your true potential. Have you ever badly wanted something — like a job, or a partner, or an experience — that just didn't fit with who you think you are? Many of us don’t pursue our dreams because we worry they might project the wrong image, or force us to question our identity. DAILY ACTION: Take a moment to acknowledge that who you are right now has grown from everything that has happened in your life, up to this point. But that doesn’t mean that you have to stay the same. If you allow difference experiences into your life, you could become something even better; even more beautiful. Accept change and become who you might be.

DAILY INSIGHT: Yoga teacher John Stirk has made a number of discoveries in his decades of practice. In his book The Original Body, he urges us to practice primal movement. You can start by taking the time to move slowly, as if you’re moving for the very first time. In doing so you can begin to shed the layers of conditioning that affect every physical expression you make in daily life. And then you can access a new experience of your body, and its relationship with your mind. What kind of movement makes you feel free? DAILY ACTION: Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Close your eyes and rest your hands on your chest. And then when you feel moved to do so…move. Slowly. Spend a few minutes here, allowing your hands and legs to move in space as if exploring your environment anew.

DAILY INSIGHT Cultivating deeper, more fulfilling relationships can start with you. How you feel about other people has a direct impact on the subtle ways you interact with them, even if you’re making an effort to hide your feelings. That friend you’ve always been a bit jealous of? The mother-in-law you feel threatened by? Those feelings are affecting your relationships. DAILY ACTION Draw more kindness and gentleness into your connections by doing nice things for them without their knowledge. Little things count; just small deeds that they’ll never know you did, but that give YOU the feeling of having done something caring for them. This simple practice creates new neurological connections in your brain which can override the uncomfortable feelings — so that, in time, you feel more love, compassion, and ease within these relationships.

DAILY INSIGHT Success in a career is about more than just trying your best. Expectations play a huge roll in what does and doesn’t work. People who expect positive results are more likely to achieve them. DAILY ACTION Flip a thought. Think of something you’re working on at the moment, or something you’d like to start working on. Allow any negative thoughts you have about that project come into your mind; there’s no point in banishing all negative thoughts, because they’re an important part of your brain’s workings. Welcome them; notice them. And then flip them. Replace each negative thought about the project with a positive one. For example, ‘I don’t have time to do that thing,’ might become, ‘What I want to do requires lots of focus, so I can move other things around to make room for it.’

DAILY INSIGHT This too shall pass. You might’ve heard this a thousand times before but don’t let the cliché stop you from hearing the truth. This – whatever this is, right now – will pass. That goes for emotions as well as external experiences. Emotions come and go, roll and change, and you don’t always have to solve them. DAILY ACTION If you’re experiencing difficult, intense emotions, see if you can let them be. Instead of trying to find a solution, just remind yourself that these emotions will pass. You will not feel like this later, or tomorrow, or next week/month/year. Allow the emotions in and accept that they will change because…there’s no way but change.

In 2018 an ambitious global sleep study drew data from more than 10,000 participants. Among the findings was this interesting takeaway: both too little sleep and too much leaves has a negative impact on our brain function. Scientists suggest that actually, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is more important than the duration of your sleep. Sleeping for roughly the same number of hours each night will improve your cognitive performance during the day and support good health, too. The study found that overall, 7-8 hours of sleep per night is optimum for brain function. People who slept less than 7 hours or more than 8 hours had an almost identical reduction in cognitive performance. So oversleeping — known as hypersomnia — is potentially just as problematic as undersleeping.

Meditation practice doesn’t always have to be silent. Today, choose a song that you love. Maybe an old favorite, or a track you’ve been hearing a lot lately that always makes you feel uplifted. Settle down in a seated position — either on the floor or on a chair — and use headphones to listen to the music. Close your eyes. And for the duration of the track listen with focused, conscious awareness. Each time your mind wanders, notice it. It’s normal and inevitable that your mind will wander. Allow it to happen and allow thoughts and emotions to come, and to pass. And then gently bring the awareness back to the song. Keep concentrating until the track is over. There is no outcome that you need to achieve from this; nothing you need to do but listen; and exist in this moment, with this music.

DAILY INSIGHT Reconnecting with an old friend, or even an acquaintance who you have only positive feelings towards, is a powerful way to lift your mood. Not only that, but it helps to cultivate a mindset of potential; because you are reaching beyond your current experience and drawing warmth into your life. Is there someone you have only good memories of who you’d like to reconnect with? DAILY ACTION Text or call them. (or email, Whatsapp…whatever works!)

DAILY INSIGHT: Empathy isn’t just in the mind. Studies show that dancers, who are extensively trained in physical movement and interaction, have heightened skills of embodied empathy. Neurophysiologists have found that touch is central to interactions between people, and that understanding the emotions of others through physical movement and touch allows for more positive and emotionally supportive relationships. Dancers spend years moving in relation to other people. They develop the ability to intuitively adapt the way they touch to others based on the body language and touch-language they read. And they gain an enhanced understanding of physical boundaries; they have felt for themselves when a personal boundary has been crossed, and they can read the signs that other people transmit when their own boundaries have been compromised. In a world in which our online lives are becoming as prevalent as our offline lives, let’s prioritize physical experiences. DAILY ACTION: Go to a dance class; an acroyoga c

DAILY INSIGHT Comfort is not always the best option. Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone and being courageously open and vulnerable is the catalyst for incredible positive change. Brené Brown reminds us that being emotionally vulnerable does NOT mean you’re not courageous. Laying yourself bare and accepting that you can’t control all of the consequences is a radical and daring act. Speaking of which, have you seen Brené Brown’s new documentary on Netflix? We recommend it. DAILY ACTION Choose courage today. Tell someone a secret you’ve been guarding closely. Choose your confidant carefully; make sure it’s someone who will listen without judging, and who isn’t in the habit of gossiping. And go for it. Lay yourself bare. How does it feel?