Might I Motivate You To Meditate?

Remember Ray and the late Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk? I miss their weekly advice, and so does my car. I’ve even been known to have browsed their “shameless commerce” division. Today, I’m going to engage in some shameless commerce of my own … but not for myself. As I reflect on some of the things that make me happy, I want to share that onward by pointing you to my favorite meditation app: Headspace.

Now, before you busy Type A business types decide that meditating is too flaky for you, hear me out. I’m a total Type A myself, which is one reason this particular app works well for me. By including personal progress stats along with its collection of 10-minute meditation sessions, Headspace offers me the sporting challenge I crave to stick with it.

That’s right, I can compete with myself or others as I seek inner peace. I know – that sounds oxymoronic, like “working vacation.” But, hey, it’s worked for me. I’m up to 20 minutes of daily meditation.

To echo another competitive slogan: Just do it. Just prepare to be patient when you do. For as long as your mind has probably been running around in overdrive, it’s hard to make it sit still, even for a few moments. At first, your thoughts will want to jump around, reviewing the day’s events, running through your to-do list, yada yada yada.

With practice, you’ll begin to experience the science-based benefits of giving your brain a little break now and then. I promise. If fluffy stuff like better relationships, mindful living and grateful giving doesn’t do it for you, there’s also evidence that it’ll amp up your brain power and improve your sleep. Could it make you a better, calmer investor as well? It certainly could contribute to that cause. Andy the presenter’s calming British accent doesn’t hurt any either!

For me, I’ve found it works best if I don’t force myself to stick to a rigid place or time, opting instead to meditate whenever and wherever I can fit it in. Sometimes I use my special cushion, sometimes I lie down on my yoga mat. Other days, I knock it off while sitting in my desk chair.  What is most important is that I do it daily.

Sound intriguing? Try out Headspace’s free 10-day trial and, at worst, you’ll spend 100 minutes of your life finding out it’s not for you. If I think about how much more time most of us waste stressing over nothing, this modest investment seems well worth a try.

Let me know how you’re doing with it! I’m still trying to motivate my sons to meditate daily – so far without success. Wait until they’re in their 40s or 50s and all that enviable youthful energy begins to wear off. Until then I’ve decided to channel my motherly instincts into my blog. Next week, I’ll provide a few more inspiring ideas to motivate your meditations.

SAGE Serendipity: In the world of historical scholars an “archival drama” is playing out with the discovery in England of a second parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence.  Historians hope the discovery casts light on the question — “Was the country founded by a unitary national people, or by a collection of states?” Read more about it in this New York Times article.