This was my first week meditating three times and I feel a sense of accomplishment. I had a hard time finding the time for it this week but ended up being able to squeeze all my sessions in, which lets me know I am able to actually do it. I felt good after meditating, but had a better sense of relaxation the week prior. I think I am realizing that I enjoy the change of scenery every now and then since last week was at a new park. I think I will try to move to new spots or places whenever I can and make sure to prep for meditation sessions rather than just jump into them, something I noted weeks earlier, but is harder to execute when meditation sessions are being squeezed into my schedule. As far as time management goes, I am going to try to bring my homework to the park with me so I can do it before/after meditating, which will let me feel more secure with my outside stressors.
Week 6 (November 1 – November 8)
This week I decided to go to a different park a little farther from me but with a better view. I noticed that I started feeling more relaxed before I had even begun meditating, I overlooked the view on the side of the hill and just appreciated it. I believe that this helped out the most with meditating and maintaining the carefree thoughts that I had afterward. At this point I have learned that setting up a decent mindset prior to starting is a good strategy for getting the most out of meditation. I noticed that, unlike my past sessions, I felt less anxious and level-headed for the rest of the day rather than just a few hours or moments afterward. Meditating is beginning to feel more of a hobby rather than an obligation now and I am going to try to go for three days a week next week!
Week 5 (October 25 – November 1)
This week was my favorite week of meditating so far. I was happily accompanied by a few friends who wanted to see what it was like to meditate. I brought my speaker to the park both days this week and had my friends come with me on both days. Although it was hard to concentrate at first since we had never done this together before, I found the post-meditating benefits to be even stronger. I finished both sessions feeling more comfortable just being myself and letting go of outside thoughts, like my Headspace teacher had mentioned. I believe this may be one of the best ways to meditate because I was able to talk about my thoughts and feelings during the meditation with others. My friends told me they felt happier and calm after joining me and mentioned how difficult it was at first to just concentrate on the person’s voice, something I had not noticed had gotten easier for me at this point as well. I hope to do more meditation sessions with my friends sometime soon again.
Week 4 (October 18 – October 25)
This week proved to be my hardest so far in keeping in line with my schedule. One of the obstacles I knew had to be overcome was time management, which was more difficult this week. I had my first and second tests of the semester and had work on Saturday this week, which gave me only one day to meditate this week. Fortunately, I was able to meditate at my local park (schabarum) and found it very relaxing. Being outside makes me feel so much more cozy and natural. It is easier to relax and concentrate on myself and my body during mediation instead of having other distractions all I hear are birds and wind. I was still stressed during this week but am looking forward to meditating more outside and feel those benefits.
Week 3 (October 11 – October 18)
After 3 weeks of meditating I believe I am starting to get the hang of it. I find it easier to be able to sit down and relax, although not consistently, it is easier to let go of outside stressors and the sound of the voice coming from my Headspace app is becoming more comfortable. I have noticed that there are small effects I feel after meditating such as having a clearer state of mind and feeling more joyful, especially after the breathing techniques. I have been meditating in my room the past 3 weeks and have now realized that having a quiet space has become a new obstacle for me. I am going to begin moving my mediation sessions to a new location, either the park nearby my house or in my backyard. Next week I will try one and share a picture!
Week 2 (October 4 – October 11)
My second week of meditation has been going well! I am getting used to using the Headspace app and understanding how much stress and anxiety are intertwined. The nice voice radiating from the app and helping me hone in on my thoughts allows my to relax myself and concentrate. Before attempting this behavior change I believed that meditation would be difficult to concentrate, and although this may be true, having a soft-spoken voice speaking helps tremendously. After meditating this week I am starting to feel more relaxed after my session and can see this becoming more consistent throughout my daily life and not just the few hours after completing meditation.
Week 1 (September 27 – October 4)
After completing my first week of my behavior change I have already faced some difficulties in my commitment. Right now I am only focusing on my first goal (2 days a week, 10 minutes each) and the biggest obstacle I have faced is time. Meditation is something that takes one clearing his/her mind in order to focus on the bodily signs and relieve oneself of thought. I found that my stress continued in the midst of my meditation, which caused me trouble focusing. I am content with how I followed my commitment but have not yet been able to notice the results post-meditation. I am hopeful this will get better the more I continue!
