The Benefits of Regular Meditation: A Conscious Guide for Beginners
Starting a meditation practice can feel unfamiliar, but even in the first week, small moments of clarity, calm, and mental space can begin to emerge.
Time to Read: 4 min
It's inevitable—life will throw you a curveball every once in a while, and you won't be able to dodge every single one. In times of complete and utter chaos, mental reprieve is a must. You might want to start meditating with the help of Andy Puddicombe's guided meditations on Headspace. The road to inner peace and happiness could be a long one depending on your circumstances, but Headspace truly makes it easy! From themed sessions to SOS exercises for extreme stress, Headspace has it all. Everything you could ever need to know about meditation is all on one platform and at your fingertips. If you decide to try it out for yourself, here are some of the changes you could see in just your first week alone:
1. Improved Mental Clarity
Even with a hectic work schedule, you’ll be able to fit in three-minute guided sessions either before starting your day or during your commute. One of the biggest improvements you’ll see, by far, is mental clarity. Nothing really seems too far-fetched or wild, child-like dreams. Thinking about future aspirations and attaining them has become far less overwhelming to envision. The steps on how to get there will be clearer, and that's because you won’t experience bouts of what-ifs as often. Without doubt, clouding your mind makes everything and anything achievable. It's surprising how much easier it is to focus and stay focused.
2. Increased Confidence & Willpower
With laser focus comes a boost of determination and willpower. Once you sign up with Headspace, your mile-long to-do lists might seem as scary to accomplish. You could find yourself doing more on your journey to all-things-zen than when you’re experiencing an extreme co-dependence on your planner. In one week, doing may come more naturally to you. No questions, no second-guessing. Doing. Having a clear vision, goal, and the focus to achieve them will boost your confidence. You’ll begin believing more in yourself and your capabilities. You’ll start trusting your intuition more and just going for it—for all of it—whatever it is.
3. Soothing Stillness
Your mind may never really turn off in your day-to-day life—working 24/7 will do that to you—but the mental stillness you’ll feel after each session will be undeniable... some say, addictive? You’ll be put in a state of relaxation and feel your wheels come to a slow and steady roll instead of the usual high-rate speeds and sudden, sharp turns. Of course, you may still get wound up over small things or find yourself worrying about X, Y, and Z. However, it's okay to "let the mind wander," as Puddicombe says. The whole point isn't to get rid of those pesky thoughts, though. Regular meditation trains you (and your mind) how to cope with stress in a healthy way. You will have peace because, at the end of the day, these moments come and go.
4. Positive Outlook
Sometimes, you may feel like the universe has decided to punish you for some unknown reason. People might joke that bad luck follows you, but you know that to be everyday life. Even when you get exciting news or get that promotion you've always dreamed about, sometimes you catch yourself questioning if your good streak will even last. Meditation could be a big help in addressing your skepticism and any guardedness you have. It may help you feel more in control of your own destiny. It could finally get you into the right headspace, recognizing that thoughts will come and go, and learning how to make the appropriate adjustments when they get to be a bit overwhelming.
Overall, meditation is extremely humbling and calming. If you stick to a routine, you could feel more grounded than ever and prepared to face the curveballs head-on. If you're also looking for mental clarity, we recommend giving Headspace a try! You can sign up for free here (not an ad, we promise)! Find out for yourself how a few minutes a day can change your perspective and help you find your inner peace and happiness.
An Update:
It’s been a while since this blog post was originally written and published, so we thought to pop in for an update for anyone interested in starting their own meditation practice. We started our meditation journey in 2017, and since then, it has evolved as we’ve also evolved. In times when we’ve relied on it every single day, and in other times when we’ve used it prescriptively, it has served us so well. Now, we’re stepping up my daily routines with other mindful practices, like journaling, ending on a high note with meditation and visualization exercises. So everything we shared above about what you might experience all still holds true!