Wednesday, February 18, 2015

If you have time to bitch, you have time to meditate. Really.

It kinda drives me crazy when people tell me they don’t have time to meditate. They have time to play Farmville for hours on Facebook, ramble on and on about everything in their life that isn’t working, and even report watching entire weekends of The Real Housewives marathons. They have time for those things, but not time to incorporate a life changing practice into their daily life. Interesting.

Everyone needs to “let off steam,” vent or get something off their chest from time to time. I understand that. I do find it interesting when people develop a habit of constantly complaining or “bitching” without ever trying to take any corrective action. Must be the life coach in me kicking in. I don’t get it. I do know, for some, bitching is a competitive sport. They seem to find pleasure in retelling the same woes for years. It’s a strategy, but one that usually keeps the person in victim mode. It’s all about informed choice.

So let me inform you. Meditation has been proven to be effective in releasing stress, improving health and even helped people put their finances back on track. I’ve heard as little as five minutes a day can make a positive difference in your life. Now really, you don’t have five minutes a day? If you believed meditating five minutes a day could change your life for the better, would you do it? Of course you would. Start at five minutes and work your way up to twenty minutes or more per sitting to see an incredible shift in your life. No kidding.

Check out the thousands of books, articles, cds and videos on the subject if you don’t believe me. You’ll not only find research supporting the positive effects of a consistent meditation practice, you’ll find many examples of the ways you can meditate. There is a simple meditation style to fit everyone.

I think meditation is so important it’s the subject of the first chapter of my book How to Choose Love When You Just Want to Slap Somebody. Read my book to see how it all fits in, but know for now that a daily meditation practice keeps me more balanced, happy and open to all the good life has to offer. Result? I don’t feel like slapping anyone.

Yes, I’m on Facebook, I’ll occasionally have my own tale of woe to tell my sister and have watched an episode or two of The Real Housewives (that NeNe cracks me up) but it’s all done after I’ve meditated at least once that day. Meditation comes first each morning and I work to include a second session between late afternoon and evening. Each day, every day. No exception.

Meditation is magic. It’s healing. It’s free. And you definitely have time for it.