There's no denying that moms need meditation. We juggle the oh-so-delicate balance of raising children, tending to home life, and working (amongst a million other things). Feeling stretched thin has become an inevitable part of the job description. But what if it doesn't have to be? What if you could hone in on your productivity while adding more moments of peace into your day? It's all in the power of your mindset. Today, I'm sharing the number one hack to improving your mindset: meditation. In honor of Mother's Day, this is a beginner's guide to meditation for busy moms. Celebrate you—every day—by prioritizing your mental and emotional wellness.
Meditation is a practice. It's about training your mind. Done once, or repeatedly, it can help you achieve a more clear and calm state of being. Meditation is the pursuit of a stronger mind-body connection. It's an opportunity to crowd out the noise, chaos, and nuances of everyday life. It's a moment—or a series of moments—to come back to your body: to notice how you're feeling, all in the name of self-exploration. Meditation is used as a technique to train your attention and awareness. In turn, this awareness can help you clear your mind, steady your breathing, and connect to a deeper (often, spiritual) level of being.
Intimidated by meditation? It's easier than you think. Unfortunately, common misconceptions of meditation lead us to believe there's only one way to do it, meditating is elitist, and takes a significant chunk of time. We've been conditioned to believe that in order to meditate, you must sit with your legs crossed, on a specific pillow, in a clean and quiet room. Fortunately, none of these things are true. In this beginner's guide to meditation for busy moms, you need very little: yourself, an easy-to-follow app, and a few minutes to spare. To clear the air, these are common meditation misconceptions:
MYTH: There is only one way to meditate.
Fact: this couldn't be further from the truth! You want to find what works for you. There are many different forms of meditation you can practice.
MYTH: You must meditate until you reach nirvana.
Fact: for most of us, that isn't remotely possible—nor the goal. In fact, research shows that Zen monks routinely expect to spend decades in full-time practice before they will be able to make real progress in their meditation.
MYTH: Meditation is only necessary if you're on the brink of burnout.
Fact: even if you don't think you need meditation, you probably need meditation. We all can benefit from it. Meditation is more about taking a proactive—rather than reactive—approach. There's no need to wait until you're dancing on the edge of burnout to start meditating.
MYTH: You can solve all of your problems through meditation.
Fact: meditation isn't a one-stop-shop. It's a piece of the puzzle, a component of your overall wellness. However, through consistency and dedication, meditation can help you cope with your feelings and stress.
.JPG)
Moving past common misconceptions, let's dive into the benefits of meditation for busy moms. Spoiler alert—they're a dime a dozen. As a mom, one of the many benefits of meditation is stress management. Whether it's a lack of minutes to fold laundry, play with your kids, have solo time with your partner, etc., many of us are short on time. In turn, we feel stretched thin—and it impedes on our ability to be patient parents. It's stressful. But that's where meditation can help. Meditation will enhance your emotional well-being, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and so much more. Through meditation, you'll get clear on your priorities. And once you get clear on what's important to you, you'll set better boundaries. In turn, you'll mitigate stressors before you're triggered.
Ready to reduce your stress, feel more grounded, and become a better version of you? Look no further than this complete beginner's guide to meditation for busy moms. Enter my number one hack: Mindshine. While there are a variety of beginner-friendly meditation apps out there, Mindshine is the best of all worlds—it's part digital mental health coach, part wellness advocate, part meditation teacher. Best of all, there's a coaching program for everyone. Whether you want to work on your resilience, develop positive thought patterns, improve your self-esteem, etc., you can learn to live happier through Mindshine. As a busy mom, myself, I use Mindshine every day—morning and night—to journal, meditate, and de-stress. I'm a more attentive partner and patient mom because of this app.
First and foremost, let go of perfection—let go of needing to meditate for a specific amount of time in order for it to count. Taking five deep breaths counts! Second, find a space in your house that represents peace to you. Get in the habit of going to that place when you use Mindshine. Third, determine your meditation moment(s). This should be the time of day when you are most likely to be able to sit peacefully and uninterrupted. I prefer first thing in the morning, before my toddler rises. It sets the tone for the entire day. Last but not least, put your meditation app on the homepage of your phone. If it's out of sight, it's out of mind! Swap the placement of Instagram or TikTok with an app like Minshine. You'll be much more likely to spend five minutes meditating, rather than 20 minutes scrolling.
I hope this beginner's guide to meditation for busy moms is helpful! From one mom to another, I promise that meditating isn't as time-consuming or intimidating as it seems. Happy Mother’s Day!
You can find Edie’s original blog on her website here.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithedie/
Website: https://wellnesswithedie.com/
The best tools from Psychology, Neuroscience and Mindfulness in one app. Constantly adapting to you.
