It’s been almost a year since we’ve been thrown into the most disturbing and peculiar year of our lives. When the Fall 2020 semester began, I found myself swept up in chaos, unable to focus on the present moment and sometimes overwhelmed with anxiety.
I’d never felt like this before. I know I wasn’t the only one. Many students faced an enormous amount of stress last semester, and for good reason. In addition to the stressors of college courses, we had to worry about the state of our world and the health of our friends and family.
This semester, I’ve decided to meditate every single morning. It’s as much a part of my daily routine as brushing my teeth, and worth waking up 10 minutes early. Finding control in my daily routine has helped me immensely.
If you’re also looking to reduce stress and improve your day-to-day thoughts, I highly recommend giving meditation a try.
Meditation has proven benefits. Below, I’ve summarized 6 ways that daily meditation has proven to be beneficial, both for me personally and based on scientific studies.
- Sense of Control
No matter what is planned in my day – exams, papers, meetings – I wake up knowing that I have 10 minutes to just breathe and be with myself. It centers me before a busy day. At this point, I look forward to it the same way as my daily cup of coffee.
- Stress Reduction and Emotional Well-Being
Meditation studies over 8-week periods prove to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. It also has been found to promote positive thinking and a greater sense of emotional stability.
- Lengthens Attention Span
Because meditation helps you focus on the present moment and gives you tools to deal with distraction, I’ve found that I’ve been able to focus even more in class and during exams. More importantly, I feel more present in my day-to-day activities.
- Enhances Self-Awareness, Self-Confidence, and Creativity
Meditation pushes you to become aware of your thoughts and habits. In doing so, many people find that they’re able to better fight off negative self-talk and thinking. It improves confidence and creativity.
- Increases Kindness, Acceptance, and Gratitude
In some types of guided meditation there is a short lesson. There is an abundance of lessons to learn, but the most popular are loving-kindness and gratitude practices. Typically, you’ll learn a mantra or quote that promotes a healthy thought pattern, and you can carry it into your day with you.
- Self-Care
You deserve 10 minutes per day to do such a beneficial practice. It’s a gift to yourself, and just partaking in it helps you subconsciously throughout the rest of the day to know that you are worthy of happiness and peace.
Okay, this all sounds great and now you want to meditate – Where should you go next? I love the Calm app, but there are free mindfulness apps (Smiling Mind, UCLA Mindful and more) and tons of free meditations on YouTube that you can try!
Your mental health is important, and meditation is not the only way to improve your mental health: reach out to a therapist or a campus mental health resource if you feel any mental health symptoms that are overwhelming. There are so many resources that are available to help you, and finding the right combination is critical.
Overall, meditation has helped me to feel calmer and more confident this semester. I hope you find the same sense of peace I’ve found through daily meditation.
The article I referenced to explain the benefits of meditation is from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#3.-Promotes-emotional-health