Stress-busting meditation - 5 mins

When we say that ‘meditation is magic’, we mean it. Building a regular meditation practice can lessen anxiety, build resilience and make you happier (among many other benefits).

Meditating regularly essentially gives your brain time to clear out the clutter of your subconscious, and also helps to balance out your nervous system.

While it’s not overly difficult, it can be an intimidating practice to start, especially as brains are used to being ‘on’, unless we’re a sleep.

In this ritual, you’ll be doing a 5 minute meditation to get you into your parasympathetic nervous system (ie. rest and digest) so that you can slow down, rest and relax.

Feelings: Feel relaxed, feel calm, feel content

Time required: 5 minutes

What you’ll need: Just yourself

Instructions:

1. Sit comfortable in a chair and set a timer for 5 minutes (try to have a nice alarm or bell sound so you’re not startled out of your meditative state).
2. Focus on your breath, counting to five as you inhale, holding for a few counts, and then exhaling for five as you exhale. Ensure that you’re breathing deeply, feeling your belly rise and fall. If thoughts arise, just re-focus on your breathing. Meditation isn’t about stopping all thoughts, it’s about stepping back from them and not engaging with them. At the end of the day though, you are human and your mind does flutter around, so it’s natural that you’ll find your mind drifting from time to time - just continue to bring yourself back to your breath.
3. After about ten breaths, scan your body - are you holding tension anywhere? If so, consciously relax these body parts and feel the tension let go.
4. If you finish scanning before the meditation is finished, continue to breathe until the time is up. Continue your day feeling relaxed and in control.

Affirmation: I release any tension that’s within me.