Meditation is described as an antidote to the stress of modern life according to the Mindfulness Awareness and Research Center (MARC) at UCLA. It can help you develop a sense of curiosity and awareness of what is happening around you and your inner self. I have heard over and over again, “I don’t meditate, it doesn’t work for me,” or “Meditation is just sitting, my mind goes wild,” or “I don’t know if it will work.” I have also heard the opposite in my office, “I finally tried meditation and it works!”  or “I started meditating a few minutes a day, and I am feeling pretty good.” 

Trying something new is overwhelming and uncomfortable at first. Meditation seems too easy to help with anxiety, stress and overwhelm. Meditation is merely coming back to the present moment over and over again. A good starting place when beginning with meditation is to have mindful moments. Some examples of these are: When you are driving, notice where your hands are when you come to a stop light. When you are brushing your teeth, notice any sounds you hear. When you drink that first sip of coffee in the morning, notice the taste and the smell.  When you take a shower in the morning, notice the water hitting your head.  Start small. Build small. When you forget, start again!