In the modern world we are constantly searching for new ways to make ourselves happy. Sometimes we try to find happiness in material possessions or activities we do. These could very well make you happy. But once the vacation has ended or the initial joy has passed from the new gadget or outfit, you could very well still find yourself feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. Practised regularly, meditation might just be the answer to make you feel happy and fulfilled.
Need convincing? This study showed that as little as 25 minutes each day for 3 days was enough to reduce an individual’s stress levels.
It’s no surprise that stress and anxiety have a very big impact on how happy we feel. So if you are able to address the root cause of your stress or anxiety then you no longer have to live in fear of it. Meditation can help you acknowledge your worries in a calm and relaxed environment, allowing you to be very mindful of what may be causing unhappiness in your life. And once you start a regular meditation practice you then have the necessary tools to deal with stress and anxiety whenever they arise. Imagine being able to reduce your anxiety by up to 40% with meditation alone as shown in this study. Do I see a smile starting to appear?
And how about sleep? How happy are you after you’ve had a horrible night’s sleep? Or for that matter when your alarm clock starts blaring in the morning to signal another day of work? Meditation can most certainly help get you in a calm state of mind when it comes to going to bed. A lot of people spend this time before drifting off in a state of perpetual thought. They cannot shake the ideas and thought patterns that replay over and over again as if you’ve got a movie going on in your mind. This can be anything from relationships, to work, to simply replying to an email or text. Meditation can help relieve you of these thoughts so that you can finally enter into a deep and refreshing sleep to wake up energised and ready for the day ahead.
Research also suggests that we spend close to half our time thinking about things other than the present. This means that we spend half of our time thinking (or worrying) about things that have already happened, or may never happen in the future. “A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.” The quote comes from this Harvard Gazette article and goes to show how important being able to focus on the present is in keeping ourselves happy. Meditation is such a great way to focus your mind on the here and now by taking time out to yourself and become really aware what is going on in your mind at any given time.
Meditation can also simply encourage a healthier lifestyle. If you’re treating your mind well, then you’re also more likely to treat your body well. A regular meditation practice may then lead to other lifestyle choices that are better for you. It may help you stop smoking, cut out junk food, exercise a bit more. Resulting in a far more positive cycle for mind and body, leading to more regular happy faces. Now that’s definitely something to be happy about!
So if you’re not already, why not give meditation a try and see if it helps create a happier you!
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