5 Tips for Using Guided Meditation to Improve Your Well Being and Life
The path towards change and self-improvement can feel really difficult to navigate. One of the hardest parts of improving your well-being and life is learning how to focus on yourself. When we make big changes in our lives, we have to do a lot of inward reflection.
The more you understand about yourself, the more you will be able to help yourself and identify places in life where you can improve. One way to learn more about yourself is through the practice of guided meditation, and with a few tips and tricks, you can incorporate it successfully into your routines.
1. If you’re new to guided meditation, seek guidance from a teacher or expert to get started.
Learning a new skill requires practice. A great way to get started with guided meditation is to seek out a teacher, expert, or professional who can help you center yourself and begin guided meditation in a directed path.
Headspace recommends beginning with a professional Because of professional can help you focus on what's going to be most important to you during guided meditation. they can also provide you with simple tips and tricks to focus and really learn more about what's going on inside your mind.
2. Set aside a specific block of time for guided meditation practice.
One of the hardest parts about setting a new healthy habit for yourself is keeping the habit going. A great way to ensure you won't fall off the wagon when you're trying to incorporate more guided meditation into your day is to set aside a specific block of time to do it.
Very well Mind suggests choosing a time early in your day or in the evening before you end your day. These times are often quieter, more private parts of the day where you can practice guided meditation with little to no interruption.
When guided meditation practice is built into a regular part of your schedule, you're more likely to continue practicing and improving.
3. Do everything in your power to limit distractions and interruptions during your guided meditation session.
Nothing can spoil a guided meditation session faster than allowed interruption. When you're ready to sit down and practice guided meditation, make sure you choose a space where you can feel relaxed and remain unbothered by your kids, roommates, pets, or partner.
You should also lower the volume on any electronic devices such as televisions, computers, and radios. Phones should be placed on “do not disturb.”
Technology is a huge distraction; some of your stress may even come from cell phone alerts, such as emails from work. If this is the case for you, consider silencing the cell phone and store it somewhere completely out of reach–maybe even in a totally different room–so you won't be tempted to pick it up and interrupt your meditation.
4. Ease yourself gently into and out of guided meditation sessions.
Guided meditation is all about gaining a bigger and better understanding of yourself, relaxing the body, and finding inner peace. It is important to not only begin a guided meditation session gently, but also to end the meditation session by easing back into your regular routine.
Guided meditation is a peaceful practice. Start your guided meditation slowly by taking deep breaths and settling into your environment. When you're done meditating, end the session by also taking some more deep breaths and slowly bringing yourself back to your present space. It's tempting to jump up and go about your routine like normal, but this can be very jarring for the body. Take time to slowly reenter your reality.
5. Understand that practice makes perfect.
Some people feel really discouraged when they first begin guided meditation. Even with a knowledgeable guide to help them get started, they may find their minds wandering.
If this happens to you, remember that it's really natural to experience wandering thoughts when you first try a meditation practice. Acknowledge that you had an intrusive thought and then turn your attention back to your guide. After more practice, this will happen less and less–it's totally normal for this to happen, and you will get better with more practice.
