Get Your SIT Together! 9 Meditation Tips to Decrease Your Stress

We all know the feeling of stress (even the word stresses us out), but do we know the best tools to work through it? A big one - MEDITATION.Here are 9 meditation tips curated by Innergy Meditation’s Curriculum Ambassador and Meditation Guru, Michelle Berlin, that will help you decrease your stress.

1. Sit for two minutes. Just enough time to stop and connect with your breath. Add a minute when time (or your boss) allows, but no pressure, two minutes is fine.
2. Be aware of your breath. Notice where you feel the inhale and the exhale most. See if you can stretch the length of the inhale and the exhale.
3. Spine straight. Whether you’re sitting at a desk or on the floor, sit up tall with the shoulders back, chest open.
4. Check-in. How does your body feel? What is the quality of your mind? Busy? Tired? Anxious? See whatever you’re bringing to this meditation session as completely OK.
5. Count your breaths. Turn your attention to your breath as it comes in, and follow it through your nose all the way down to your lungs. Try counting “one” as you take in the first breath, then “two” as you breathe out. Repeat this to the count of 10, then start again at one.
6. Come back when you wander. When you notice your mind wandering, smile, and simply return to your breath. Count “one” again, and start over. It’s perfectly OK to not stay focused, we all do it.
7. Develop a loving attitude. When you notice thoughts and feelings arising during meditation, as they will, look at them with a friendly attitude. See them as friends, not intruders or enemies. They are a part of you, though not all of you.
8. You’re not doing it wrong. You will worry you’re doing it meditation wrong. That’s OK, we all do. There’s no perfect way to meditate, just be happy you’re doing it.
9. Don’t worry about clearing the mind. Many think meditation is about clearing your mind, or stopping all thoughts. If that happens, great - but it’s not the “goal.” Thoughts are normal. We can’t shut our brains down. Instead, just try to practice focusing your attention on your breath.