five beginner tips for starting a meditation practice

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your level of stress?

Think about it for a minute…

If you answered higher than a 4, which many of us probably did, I want to ask you what you are actively doing to reduce stress in your life? (I'll wait).

If you're having a hard time answering that question, I want to offer a simple solution that may help… meditation.

Have you tried it?

If you haven't, you're definitely not alone. Far too often when I am discussing meditation and mindfulness with friends, family members and clients, I have found that there is a degree of intimidation around meditation that has many people believing its “not for them” which ultimately prevents them from experiencing the benefits first hand. Maybe they think its only meant for a certain “type” of person… or maybe they believe they don't “have time” to try it… or my personal favorite, they believe the practice is a bit “woo-woo” and that's just not their style.

The truth is, meditation is an extremely beneficial practice that has countless mind and body health benefits regardless of who you are and what your experience level is.

Let’s dive into what meditation is, how it can benefit your life and five tips to get started!

What is meditation?

Meditation is a practice to train our attention and awareness in order to achieve a clear and calm mental and emotional state.

Mindful meditation can help us feel more grounded, intentional, better able to process life encounters.

So why practice meditation?

Benefits of Meditation:

A regular meditation practice has been proven to positively impact our overall health and wellbeing in MANY ways… a few of them being:

Decreased stress levels
Improved self-image/self-acceptance
Helping with emotional regulation
Decreased feelings of burnout
Improved brain and immune function
Lowered blood pressure and heart rate
Increased awareness, attention and focus
Improved clarity and perception in thinking
Lowered levels of anxiety

Just to name a few!

Before beginning anything new practice, it’s important to know your intentions behind it!

Here are some questions to consider:

Why you are looking to start a meditation practice?
What are you hoping to get out of it?
What benefits will meditation bring to my personal and family/social life?
How much time can I commit to my practice daily?

Now that you are crystal clear on your intentions and goals, lets explore some simple tips so you can get the most out of your meditation practice!

5 Beginner Tips For Starting A Meditation Practice

Let go of any expectations and judgements
Give yourself permission to be a beginner. Go into your practice with an open mind and an open heart. Don’t expect the practice to be simple, but also don’t let it intimidate you. Keep your goals in mind and maintain a neutral perspective without expecting a particular outcome. As you move forward and explore different meditation techniques, be patient with yourself and keep showing up to your practice.
Reduce/eliminate potential distractions
My recommendation for beginners is to find a quiet space within their home that is free of (or at least distanced from) any loud noises and distractions. Leave your phone on silent, or better yet leave it in another room (unless you’re using it for your practice). Tell family members or roommates what you are doing and ask that they give you a few minutes of quiet time to yourself. Resist the urge to fidget and move the body and/or let the thoughts wander.
Acknowledge how you are feeling before and after your meditation
Before beginning your meditation session, check in with the mental and physical state of the body. Notice if you are coming in to your practice feeling open and receptive, or if you are feeling tense or rigid. Take a few breaths to clear your energy prior to beginning (more on this in tip number 4).
After your practice, do the same exercise. Notice how the meditation impacted the state of your mind and body. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel immediately better/enlightened after your practice… and don’t get upset if you actually feel worse. Simply notice yourself as you are without judgement.
Take the time to clear your energy before your meditation
Before beginning any meditation practice, take a few deep breaths to settle the mind and relax the body. Take the deepest inhale you can through the nose, and exhale fully out of the mouth as many times as possible until you feel grounded. This will give you an opportunity to clear any tension you may be holding onto, and reset the mind and body for your practice.
Consistency is key
Meditation is a practice. And the only way to improve is to do it with some degree of consistency. If you are truly committed to incorporating more meditation into your life, pick a time in your day that you know you can commit to. Put it on your calendar as an appointment with yourself (even if its only for 5 minutes) and show up! There will be days when you don’t want to practice… and that’s completely ok. But that doesn’t give you a good enough reason to not actually follow through with your commitment. On those days, give yourself 5 minutes of quiet deep breathing time, or find a quick meditation on my YouTube channel 😉

So there you have it, my five favorite tips for starting a meditation practice. If you liked this video, please let me know by liking and commenting below and subscribing to my channel. If you want to get started on your mindfulness practice right away, check out some of my favorite meditations below!

Want to learn some simple (and to-the-point) tools to help you manage stress, improve focus, and build self esteem? You're in good hands! Sign up for a free three part mindfulness challenge where I will teach you my favorite practices so you can live your best life possible!

[FREE] MINDFUL 3 DAY CHALLENGE