Meditation has indeed become quite a sensation in recent years. And when it comes to the benefits of meditation, there’s no shortage of answers on the internet on how this practice can improve your life.
However, because I know time is of the essence, I am going to share with you 7 ways that meditation can transform your life.
All 7 ways come from personal experience and from being a meditation practitioner for 10+ years.
I hope meditation become a source of transformation for you as it has been to me!
The buzz about the benefits of meditation felt very hyped up to me.
I am a guy who survived in a warzone in Iraq for 20+ years without ever hearing about meditation.
So in full honesty, I didn’t believe in all the hype about meditation being the missing link to inner peace and calm, an overabundance of joy, happiness, energy, and aliveness.
You know those states of mind that we always hear about but hardly feel.
That was the case until I migrated to the United States and noticed that living in a warzone my entire life has messed me up.
I dealt with Panic Attacks and PTSD flashbacks constantly. At the time, I was a new legal immigrant in the USA, and I didn’t have many resources. Nor did I have access to medical care, so I started to look for ways to manage my predicament naturally.
For the full scoop on that story, please watch this video:
One of the ways that was both EASY and FREE and also didn’t require me to leave the house was meditation. (I didn’t have a driver licenses when I first got to the US and couldn’t get one till I got my green card – long story for a different time.)
For those who know me, you know that I am a HUGE believer in the power of forming habits.
So after I finished my research, I decided there and then to meditate daily for 10 minutes for 21 days and see where that leads me..
And WOW…
To my surprise, all the benefits of meditation that were touted by gurus and the media were true!
I became an instant convert!
You see, the year was 2008!
I was a new immigrant in a new country, stuck at home without the ability to drive or work. My mind was racing with wild thoughts about what the future might hold for me.
I was so STRESSED and was surviving on 3-5 hours of sleep.
Fear of the unknown and how long it might take before I get my green card or be able to support myself consumed me.
Coupled with every little noise and sound triggering PTSD flashbacks.
Long story short, I was a HOTMESS!
It got so bad that I was willing to try anything to make it stop!
You might be going through something different, but the feeling is the same! Being overcome by fear, overthinking, and feeling stuck is not a good place to be in.
So it was a welcome change when I introduced meditation to my life.
With time and as I got better at my practice, things started to shift, and I started to feel the benefits of meditation that gurus talked about.
Now I’ve been meditating for 10+ years and counting!
Yes, that’s rights! For 10+ years I meditated on average at least 10 minutes a day.
Currently, most days I meditate for 30-45 minutes and on really LUCKY days I could escape the world for a 3-7 hrs meditation session.
To gain some of the benefits of meditation, all it takes is 5-10 minutes a day. And truthfully, if you can’t invest such a short period of time in yourself, then you’re simply NOT prioritizing yourself or your overall wellness. (No judgment here, just bringing awareness in a light-hearted way😉)
Ever since I cultivated the practice, my days are now overflowing with feelings like:
- Gratitude
- Joy
- Happiness
- Serendipity
- Equanimity
- Calm
- Relaxation
- Flow
- Miracles
And too many other emotions and feelings to list for this post.
Now, if you’re still sitting on the fence and need a little kick to get you into the door of meditation heaven, then let me give you 7 ways meditation (or mindfulness) can improve your life and your overall wellbeing.
Please know that meditation is not limited to those 7 ways.
There are many other ways where the benefits of meditation are undeniable.
Without further ado, let’s start!
7 Ways To Reap The Benefits of Meditation & Improve Your Life
11. Lowers your stress level.
Having time to meditate and relax is something that not only your body needs but your mind too.
Throughout the day, both your mind and body are racing to keep up with life’s demands and obligations.
Living this way turns you into a reaction-oriented being. Doing so triggers the fight or flight response that our ancestors felt when they were in dangerous situations like being chased by a predator.
With meditation, you become more relaxed and more mindful instead of reactionary.
This leads to the very positive affect of lowered stress and increased inner-peace.
22. Strengthens your immune system.
With stress, the immune system takes a backseat, and the body becomes vulnerable to all different types of ailments. This is no longer speculation; it’s backed by science.
In other words, life’s ever-increasing demands require a stress management system!
What’s more is when you deal with stress intentionally, the result is not only a healthier mind and emotions but a stronger immune system.
On top of that, studies have shown that people who practice mindfulness and meditation have a dramatic increase in influenza antibodies.
When these antibodies are high in content in the blood, there is a very low chance, if none at all, of getting sick. I have been blessed to not having had a cold or a flu in a VERY long time and I believe meditation had a role in that.
For this reason alone, everyone should put meditation at the top of their list of preventative remedies. Especially with the recent 2020 pandemic, you can’t afford NOT to boost your immune system naturally every chance you get.
33. Lets you sleep better.
The primary function of meditation is to improve the mental balance of those who practice mindfulness and meditation regularly.
And with a balanced mind, you can relax faster and then rest better.
When your general outlook on life is positive, you can’t help but manifest favorable results. Feeling hopeful leads to satisfaction and joy, which in turn leads to better sleep and better moods when you’re awake. It’s a win-win!
If that didn’t convince you enough to give meditation a try, then please read this study on how meditation affects sleep.
Free Guided Meditation
44. Protects your brain.
Because meditation practitioners maintain a more positive outlook in life and thus are happier, calmer, and overall, better, they are also not overthinkers.
And when you’re not overthinking, your brain is not full of trivial things that drain
Therefore, it will bring out good effects on both your mind and body. Thus, the brain is preserved from mental fatigue.
Also, it has been found in a study that people who practice meditation regularly, they tend to have higher brain tissue density.
Indeed, this mental exercise should be taken seriously and be practiced for better chances of preserving
55. Helps you focus.
Meditating is a brain exercise, which allows the brain to process just about anything in mind without putting too much pressure on it.
The result is a much stronger brain and a sharper mind which are among the things that improve your brain power as a person.
Thus, the mind becomes more focused and on target.
This will then ensure that you’ll have an increased focus on the things that matter most to you and your purpose.
66. Prevents bad habits.
One main purpose of having a meditation practice is to let the mind align and focus on positive things.
This lowers the rate of addictive behaviors like smoking, drinking, or over-eating. Even emotional addiction behaviors like overthinking, anxiety & stress get balanced with a meditative practice.
Generally, cultivating positive habits improves your view on life ahead. And with an improved outlook on life, collapsing to old or bad habits that you want to let go of decreases.
And whenever life throws you a curveball (hey, life happens😅), you’ll be able to look at the negative things/events from a positive perspective. This one shift in mindset helps you raise your vibration and become more mindful.
Learning the lesson and finding the blessing in any given situation/event becomes a normal way of being when you meditate.
Continual practice of meditation will continuously empower your mind to release old habits and past ways of being.
77. Makes you happier.
And I TRULY saved the BEST for last
Meditation can eventually lead to higher levels of happiness.
This is because all the negative thoughts up there in your mind are reviewed and then released.
Everything that is left is all the good thoughts that will better your overall outlook on life.
And with a better outlook, your levels of happiness will skyrocket.
In summary, the benefits of meditation are truly undeniable!
Meditation is indeed a very significant practice for you if you want to have a calmer and healthier mind and body.
It allows people to think peacefully and to act more mindfully! Even animals can benefit from the relaxed state we dwell in when we meditate. Jojo, my chihuahua, loves to join me on my meditation mat. Look how zenned out Jojo is😁.
With a healthier mind, and stronger emotional wellbeing, you become more focused, joyful and happy.
So, if you aim to lead a life of excellence, then I invite you to begin meditating regularly, starting TODAY! And to kick off your practice, here’s a free guided meditation to help you get started.
With love, light and gratitude,
Xoxo,
Zane,
Ps. Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
