The 5-Part Daily Practice That Has Changed My Life
I remember sitting in a conference room during the economic crisis of 2008. I sat still, focusing on my breath instead of latching onto the very palpable fear in the room. I had meditated before, but without much success — and I decided this was the right time to try something new. I chose to be fully engaged in the present moment, rather than retreat from it.
By taking a moment to pause, I was able to bring a solution-oriented mindset to that conversation, and my boss turned to me as we were walking out and said, “I have to say that I feel better when you’re in the room.” Soon after, I’d learn that I had been meditating with my eyes open and this allowed me to find more clarity in a challenging fear-based environment.
For many years, I meditated with the goal to release stress. I would close my eyes and try to check out for twenty minutes in the morning. Mostly, it was a struggle to try to not think and I was often frustrated by the process. Truth be told, I used to look at meditation as a healthier replacement for taking a pill that could fix me. When I was eventually able to achieve some level of calm, I would find that by the time I got to the office, my morning commute had wiped out any amount of peace of mind I had gained from that 20 minute morning meditation.
