Lamisha Serf-Walls

Meditation Challenge Update: Day 44

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Today is day 44 of my 100 day meditation challenge and I have a confession to make.  I missed one day entirely.  I don’t know how I did it, or where my mind was, but I missed it completely.  I didn’t even realize something was wrong until the next day.  And even though the challenge is to do 100 consecutive days of meditation, I am not giving up.  I will continue my meditation not only for the challenge, but also because of the many benefits I am feeling because of it.

So far here is what I have noticed:

  • I am much calmer throughout my day
  • I am feeling more centered and balanced (though I could use more of each)
  • I go with the flow much more after my meditation
  • I am breathing through daily challenges
  • I feel less stressed

I noticed something else about my meditation practice today and that is what time of day is best for me to meditation. The first several days I was sort of fitting it in whenever I could.  During my work days it seemed logical to do it before work as a nice transition into the day, but after today I now know that meditating before the workday begins is optimal for me.

I had a few errands I wanted to run this morning before work and instead of meditating before going out, I thought I could work it in before work.  As you can imagine time got away from me and I made it back in just enough time to get clocked in.  I realized I had to squeeze my meditation in later.  The mere idea of “squeezing” it in made me a little stressed and on edge.  I managed to take some time during my lunch to get it done, however at that point it was much more difficult to become relaxed.

I also noticed my workday before meditating was simply off kilter.  I felt scattered and had difficulty focusing on what I needed to accomplish and now I know meditating in the morning is best for me.  Not only that but I think it is time for me to increase my meditation time.  Currently I have worked up to about 15 mins and I want to extend that within the next 30 days to around 20 mins or more.  I look forward to sharing the differences I experience with an extended morning practice.

I am also open to any suggestions you may have from your own meditation practice.  What works for you?

Meditation Challenge Update

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For those of you who don’t know, I have recently taken on the challenge of meditating everyday for 100 days.  I have never been good at meditating everyday even though I am well aware of the benefits it can have on mental health, energy, and overall well-being.  And to be honest with you when I accepted the challenge, there was a part of me that wondered if I would be able to fit it in each day.  But here we are on day 10 and I have meditated everyday of January so far.  That in and of itself is an exciting thing for me.

With that said I thought I would share a bit of my experience thus far.  The first few days were a bit hectic as I didn’t have a set time to meditate, nor did I do it  in the same place, or by using the same method for that matter.  Needless to say I was inconsistent and the quality of each experience wasn’t all that great.  My mind wandered far more that I liked and I didn’t feel as focused or calm as I am used to feeling after a good meditation.  So I figured I would streamline my practice a bit more while still having some flexibility, so I can still flow with whatever life throws at me.

Here’s what I do:

  • I turn on some quiet meditation music
  • Sit in a comfortable position either in a chair or on the floor
  • Close my eyes
  • And breathe

Sounds simple huh?  It is…sort of.  Getting into meditation and clearing my head of all the noise is the most difficult thing for me to do, but as my mind wanders and begins thinking about what I will be doing in the next few hours, I try to focus on the music, or tune into specific areas in my body bringing my awareness back to myself and not my thoughts.  Sometimes I am very successful, sometimes not so much, however I keep going.  At this time I don’t have a specific amount of time that I sit in meditation, but I have reached a max of 15 minutes with hopes of getting it up to 30 by the end of the challenge.

So how do I feel so far?

the results of just 10 inconsistent days of meditation have been incredible.

Here’s what I have experienced:

  • Better mood overall
  • A sense of peace and relaxation afterwards
  • More focus
  • Anticipation for my next meditation
  • Less worry, more faith that things are going to work out in all areas of life
  • A deeper connection to my intuition and dreams

Another thing I am experiencing (though I am not sure if it is a result of my meditation practice, or if it relates to my theme of the year) is an increase in opportunities that seem to fall into my lap, as well as an overwhelming amount of confidence on my part to take on projects that in the past would have overwhelmed me.  Maybe my meditation practice is supporting me as I go with the flow of life and if that is the case then I look forward to what lies ahead while still remaining in this moment as completely as I can.

So that is where I am at after 10 days.  Look for the next update on day 30!