You know that meditation is good for your brain. It can make you feel relaxed, refreshed and happy. You’ve heard it’s good for depression, anxiety, insomnia, phobias and any other mental health issue under the sun. You know it will benefit you, so then why don’t you do it? It’s hard to commit to sitting in silence for twenty minutes a day; but did you know there are ways to incorporate meditation into your daily life without the weird music, mantras and essential oils? Take meditation on the road with you with these tips.
1. In and out breathing
I want you to try this right now. While keeping your breath natural, say “iiiinnnnnn” to yourself as you breath in, ending the ‘in’ right at that switching point. When you breathe out, say “ooouuuttt”, ending the “out” right when you’ve run out of air. Leave no space between the words. You are leaving no room for frivolous thought, and while you’re still thinking “in” and “out”, this means nothing to you and is relaxing to think about. Next time you are walking down the street, try it! Everything will start to look a little bit brighter.
2. Life is like a video game
Do you have a favorite video game? What if you were actually a video game character and your life was a game? Play with this idea when you’re out in public. What if you are being controlled by a player? Nothing seems to matter anymore, does it? You’re just a character in a game. You have no control over what will happen next. Try to see life in this way. You’ll become detached to any outcome and you will be forced to focus on the present.
3. That mailbox is a banana
This is a game you might have played if you ever took an improv class. Wherever you find yourself, start giving things labels. The trick is, you can call it anything but what it is. So if you’re walking down the street and you see a mailbox, label it “banana” instead. It’s obviously not a banana, but this will give you the same effect as tip number two. It forces your mind to start really looking around and take in what’s surrounding you in this present moment.
4. Take your focus for a walk
I want you to pretend your focus is a ball or wheel and every time you walk or move, the ball or wheel starts rolling and every time you stop, it stops as well. You can make it any color or design you’d like. Just realize that your focus is moving with your body. Your view of reality will start to look almost like a video camera, as if your eyes are the lenses. This trick gets you into your body and is very effective if you walk around a lot. You’re gonna be so Zen.
