When I do meditate regularly, I use one of the paid apps which I get free through work.
I do see the benefits when I am consistent with it. I have never been consistent on days I have the kids. I am never awake before them (opportunity #1) and at night, well, there is no excuse other than I am not prioritizing it.
Sometimes I will take a 10 minute break at work, pop in some headphones, and go find a quiet place to meditate. That works great on slow days, sometimes it's not possible.
I find it hard to commit to daily meditation. Some days it feels amazing, other days it feels frustrating and useless. I know where I want to be (in command of my anxiety, rather than the other way around). There are a billion strategies and techniques out there to investigate. Anxiety is not going to help me in my current situation, and it also won't help me in my life.
One piece of advice from yesterday that really stuck with me was to take the few minutes at the beginning and end of your day, and focus on taking care of your self. Rather than immediately jumping to tasks, or your phone, or the TV. I find I often have strange dreams/nightmares that stick with me long after I wake up, so maybe taking a few minutes to process things and get back to reality will help.
IW - I'll check out 5HTP. Thanks for the tip.
Hey U - yeah it's hard to break in a new habit, especially something that forces you to slow down. Our lives are so busy these days, focusing on yourself and taking time for yourself during a packed work day seems like a daunting task.
That 4 breaths "break" helps a ton. I do that all the time when the spiralling thoughts start. it is a version of what you are talking about - taking time at the beginning and end of the day for yourself. If it works for you and calms you down, great!
I paid for the meditation app - it was not expensive at all for access to a ton of content. (My favorite meditation teacher so far on Insight Timer is Sara Blondin. I haven't gone a lot of the app yet, but so far her guided meditations have proven very effective.)
Green tea is really good. I have taken St John's Wort too, but I am finding 5HTP to be more effective. I've also been taking B supplements to boost my energy. That helps a lot - especially on days where I am flat out emotionally and physically burnt. I got the chewable gummies though - so it's more an enjoyable experience.
Interesting to see what works for different people
