Half of America exercises at least three or more times a week. I'm not sure why at least half of Americans don't do meditation, considering the benefits. America is one of the most resilient countries in the world; the DNA of this country is made up of people that took risks and came from all over the world. I think Americans need to adopt a practice that's been shown to increase resilience and compassion.
Why is everyone in America not using a tool that may make you more compassionate, resilient, kind, and happy?
One thing I noticed enormously from the time I started meditation is that the practice has made me a happier and more compassionate person. I'm not perfect, and I'm sure there are people out there who think I'm not compassionate at all, and they are entitled to their opinion. But the reality is it's something I consciously work on because of meditation.
I grew up in a culture where most of my guy friends are alpha males who love sports, and work in corporate America. They like to joke around and greet each other with a series of insults. Anyone who observes this would think that it is a comedy show. Now this is not good or bad, this is just a part of the subculture. If you ever go into a locker room of football players in the NFL, you might see a similar subculture.
If you would have heard the jokes that were made about me doing meditation, then you would understand where I'm coming from. Outside of the mindfulness and yoga communities in America, meditation is still not mainstream.
I admire Dr. Richard Davidson for his pioneering research in the area of meditation. I think programs like the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at University of Wisconsin-Madison are causing a ripple effect on bringing meditation to the masses. Or the work that Congressman Tim Ryan is doing with promoting the positive effects of meditation.
I think the millions of Americans who exercise should be meditating before and after they jump on the treadmill. Why is this not possible? They adopted an iPod into their workout. They should be meditating before work, and they should be doing some meditation during their lunch break to stay focused.
Ten years from now, this practice is going to be seen as just like doing a push-up.
Here are four ways to make the practice a part of your life:
1. At Work
Come up with various ways to incorporate meditation into your work schedule, whether it's before, during, or after work. Try to bring your attention to your breathing whenever you feel stressed out, this can be done at any time throughout the day. Another option would be do it at your lunch break.
2. Before You Exercise
I find meditation to be immensely beneficial to be used before exercising. If you're a runner, try to do at least 10 to 15 minutes of meditation right before you run. Then you can make your run a moving meditation.
3. Right When You Wake Up
If you do meditation right when you wake up in the morning, it will impact every area of your life. Try to do a few minutes of meditation every morning before you start your day.
4. Schedule a Five-Day Challenge
Make a commitment today that you are going to do meditation every day for the next five days straight. Meditation is like anything else -- once you get over the initial difficulties, like trying to focus your mind, it becomes easy.
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