Posted by Today is a meh day. Life is full of ups and downs and the mind reflects that. It feels like there’s a fair bit going on at the moment – not even including the pregnancy. But whatever happens from this moment forward is impacted by the fact there is a baby coming very soon. As hard as I try to remain positive, there’s no doubt pressure – and therefore, negativity – can seep in through the cracks. At times I try to put on a cheery persona, one that can get quite heavy to keep up. Be it for the wife and daughter, my friends and family, or even work. Come the end of the day, I’m exhausted mentally and wind up in a zombie state in front of the telly. It’s like a case of Jekyll and Hyde in my mind.
To combat these feelings, I’ve decided to start meditating. Again. Like most habits in my life it tends to be on again off again. Really, my goal should be to meditate before my mind gets to this stage. However, you can only work with what you have in front of you. Luckily, I’m prepared and I have a couple of youtube guided meditations saved to get me going again.
In my time working in retail as a teen, I used to be able to switch my mind off while doing mundane tasks like stacking and tidying items on shelves. I know people who do the same when going for a run or doing other forms of exercise. Just the ability to go into autopilot mode as you switch off from the constant streams of information the mind continues to absorb – I’m looking at you, Instagram.
Over the years, I’ve tried different approaches to meditation. Sometimes I try listening to calming music. Other times I’ve preferred sounds in nature. Sometimes I close my eyes. Other times I’ve tried focussing on an item or a flame. Sometimes I sit on the floor. Other times I sit on the ground. Sometimes I do the hokey cokey and I turn around. That’s what it’s all about…
…think I lost track of where I was going with that.
What works best for me right now is sitting with a straight back – chair or floor – focussing on my breathing and how my body reacts to the state of calmness. It doesn’t always work. There’ll be times when a thought will infiltrate my mind and I’ll spend the entire time getting lost overthinking things. That’s fine. Tomorrow I’ll try again. Can be a strain on the back though. By the end of the 10 minutes I’m usually slouched. Far from the straight back I started with. It definitely doesn’t have to look social-media-worthy, like the featured image I have on this article.
The difficulty I have is maintaining meditation when times aren’t as bad. I subconsciously end up stopping due to thinking “I’m cured”. No such thing really. When not-so-good times come back round, I’ll then wish I had kept the meditating going. And that’s where I’m at.
Does anyone else have any experience of meditation that works? What works for you when you need to focus on your mental health?