A new habit begins

To me the word, health, incorporates my mind,
body, spirit and heart working synergistically
to create a vibrant, energetic, healthy being.

When any one part is not working up to speed,
is out of balance the whole being suffers. 

I am so left brain, always thinking, thinking, thinking.
I analyze, puzzle through problems looking for solutions.
This skill has served my well throughout my accounting and
tax consulting career.  In fact, you might say crucial
when working in this field.

But am I too far to the left?  My hobbies include games
and card playing – thinking, planning, guessing, reading
opponents.  I enjoy completing very hard jigsaw puzzle of
2000 to 2500 parts.  The tedious, endless sorting of pieces -
looking for matching shapes, designs and colors.

While it challenges my brain and helps with focus,
the predominant benefit it very similar to my work.

I started reading about right brain exercises thinking
this would help bring myself into balance. While researching
the function of the right brain, I discovered my understanding
of the two sides of the brain was inaccurate.  I learned that
the right brain, which I always associated with creativity and
expression is also responsible for visual processing,
big picture think, intuitive processing and processing ideas
simultaneously.  So in reality I have been exercising some of
this right side part as well.

I finally realized the missing component in my life is taking a
break from all my processing and thinking.  Taking the time to
just be, to be calm and quite – to meditate.

I have read about meditating for years, even practicing some
in the past.  While I could understand the many benefits,
until now I hadn’t connected them to me.

Meditation has physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits.
One internet search listed 100 of them such as:
    enhance the immune system
    increase blood flow
    normalize your ideal weight
    decrease muscle tension
    helps control own thoughts
    increase creativity
    easier to remove bad habits
    provides peace of mind, happiness
    helps living in the present moment
    creates a widening, deepening capacity for love

While I just listed 10 of them, the truth is I could see that
70-80 of them would provide important benefits for me. 

So I committed to a morning 5 minute meditation practice,
a realistic beginner’s goal to at the least get into the
habit of experiencing this ritual.

Since, I know creating a new habit takes a minimum of 28,
I committed to my 28 day trial and began my meditation practice,
August 29th.

I soon discovered this seemingly simple action is one of the
hardest things I have tried to do. Let me tell you my results.
First, I did not meditate all of the 28 days.  I missed 8 of them.
It is interesting that I missed every Sunday, a day in the
past given to prayer, reflection and quiet.  I also missed the
5 days this past week when I attended a life changing
“Inspiring Speaker” workshop by Marcia Wieder of
Dream University.  I mention it because so much
of the workshop content included personal development
practices. 

Second, during each meditation activity, I just could not
sit and relax, could not let my mind be calm and peaceful,
could not quiet my constant thinking.

But that was okay, I accepted my experience for what
it was and allowed myself to in it for the full 5 minutes.

I can not say that I have felt a any change yet but
luckily I have my life ahead of me yet to get there.

As I begin my next 28 days of meditation, I added
soothing music to the practice.  I am committed to
continue with this work. I look forward to receiving
the healthy benefits into my life.

Until next time…