5 Amazing Reasons to Start Meditating Today and Every Day

Amy Taylor March 16, 2015

Meditation is all over the news. Yes, it’s a health buzz. Celebrities talk about it. It’s a common feature topics in many health shows. It’s a social media craze. You probably have heard of it many times. You may have been curious as to try it yourself, or you probably are too hesitant to do it because you think it can be a complicated process. But should you really try meditation? Are the news about it real or are they mere hype? Can practising it every day significantly improve your life? In what way?

Fortunately, there is overwhelming scientific evidence that meditation is not just a hype. It is a proven mind-body exercise that can boost our health even down to the cellular level. Numerous studies have linked meditation to stronger immunity, increased grey matter volume, and longer life. Yes – all things we could ever want.

Incorporating meditation in your daily routine might seem like a little challenging at first. But it works the same way with exercise. During your first few sessions you might find yourself not being in the right mood, not experiencing any of its feel-good effects, or even totally forgetting about it. But as your mind and body get used to it, you will realise that meditation can be a good, hard habit to break.

So to boost your interest in trying meditation, here are some facts you may want to know.

It’s good for your stress levels.

Feeling stressed almost all the time? Stress is unavoidable and a little of it is not really a big deal. But too much stress can be unhealthy and damaging if you don’t do something about it. Meditation is known for its ability to alleviate stress. As you practise it, you will become accustomed to shifting your mind from negative thoughts that feed your stress, to focusing on the moment – breathing in the good vibes and breathing out the bad vibes. Don’t expect that your stress will go away automatically. Over time, as you practise meditation regularly, you will notice a big difference on the amount of stress your body accumulates.

It makes you more mindful (which is the most important thing).

A lot of times we find ourselves absorbed with the hurts of the past and the worries of the future. Even when engaged in a task, we sometimes can’t help but ruminate about so many things – bills, plans, relationship troubles, health, etc. All these take us away from experiencing the present moment, which is the most important thing when it comes to mental health. Being mindful is essential to our mental health because only when we are at a heightened state of awareness do we observe our thoughts rationally. Your mind may have been occupied with unwanted thoughts all along, but you don’t notice it because it feels like it is normal. But once you start meditating, you will learn to determine which thoughts are helpful and which are not. Such kind of awareness is what’s going to lead you to the rest of the following benefits.

You will have better control of your emotions.

Meditation does not make you conceal negative emotions. It simply helps you manage them so they would not affect your judgement and behaviour. Don’t think that once you start meditating, you will no longer feel “bad” or “sad”. Of course you will. But you will find yourself cultivating positive emotions more, and expressing those negative emotions more appropriately. The practice of observing your emotions – good and bad – and understanding what they are trying to imply is an exercise that promotes emotional regulation.

Making decisions gets better.

And as you gain more awareness of your thoughts and emotions, you become better at making decisions. You will find yourself not having to consult lots of people or convince yourself that you are choosing the right thing to do because you already know what’s best for you. Such comprehension equips you with the skills to think before you act and make purposeful decisions.

It therefore boosts your well-being.

As you become more aware, you open yourself to experiencing the great things life has to offer. Because even if you seem to have everything, you are not going to be happy until you realise that they exist. Meditation strengthens your ability to appreciate things and feel more connected to the world you live in.

Who doesn’t want a happier and healthier life? Who doesn’t want to make better decisions? Who doesn’t want to experience more positive emotions and be able to manage the negative ones? Who doesn’t want to be more grateful and see the goodness in every little thing? If you want to experience all these amazing benefits, you really should give meditation a try and make an effort to make it a part of your daily life. After all, it’s free. You don’t even need expensive equipment, nor be in a beautiful place to start meditating. This mind-body exercise can be practised anytime, and virtually anywhere – even in the comfort of your home. So why not give it a try?