I used to be a very anxious person. Meditation healed me
Did you know that I used to be an insanely anxious person? I would wake up and immediately be in panic from overthinking my to-do list, obsessing over that one thing my friend said, or beating myself up for wearing/doing/saying the wrong thing. It felt exhausting to be me!
I had always been an introspective kid who worried a lot. That mixed with childhood trauma and the fact that I partied hard in my 20's made me even more anxious. Living in New York City with an increasingly busy lifestyle and a job I hated was quickly turning me into a neurotic person, which totally sucked for my social life, relationships, physical health and career.
Perhaps the most frustrating part was that I knew so much of my suffering was self-inflicted because I was at war with my own mind. I wanted to be one of those people who appeared calm and confident in any situation, but instead I constantly questioned my own abilities, imagined the worst case scenario, and over analyzed every situation, which lead to action paralysis. I knew that if I could find a way to quiet my mind and get focused, I would not only be calmer and more confident, but healthier and more successful, too.
So, I vowed that I would turn my mind into an ally, instead of cursing it for being my worst enemy. I turned to meditation because intuitively, I knew it would challenge me to do the deeper work and finally address the problem from within.
Learning to meditate changed my life forever. Along with good old fashioned therapy, it's hands down the most life and self-affirming thing I have ever learned to do, and it continues to add to my happiness, health and success.
As a result of meditating:
My mind and I are now friends. I am less reactionary. I can let things go. I am calmer, and can bring myself back to a relaxed state if I need to.
I can take my time doing things, instead of stressfully racing against the clock (which is a VERY stressful way to live)
I love myself more! I have created an even deeper, more meaningful relationship with myself.
My intuition, which used to feel non-existent, feels SO much stronger. I trust myself more than ever. I listen to my gut, which I couldn’t always do.
I'm able to enjoy and appreciate the PRESENT MOMENT. I catch myself when I'm thinking too much about the past or future and I'm able to calm myself down.
I am much more self-aware, and now have a healthy relationship with myself. I have discovered so much about myself through meditation, and I can better address my problems and live an authentic life.
I feel more connected with the world around me. In my darkest hours, I felt alone and isolated. Meditation continues to remind me that we're all connected and we're all just doing our best. I feel more compassionate toward myself and others.
I’m more confident, relaxed, and enjoyable to be around
I've become more focused and I'm able to more consistently work on one thing for a long period of time to achieve a goal.
I am A LOT more disciplined because meditation has trained me to be more patient and less scared of discomfort
Through meditation, I have tapped into a higher consciousness. I have experienced profound moments of joy and flow that I won't get into here, but meditation can facilitate some pretty magical shit.
I'm here to tell you first hand that meditation is incredibly helpful. So if you suffer from anxiety, overthinking, low self-esteem, stress, and you're sick of being at war with yourself, it's time to double-down on creating your own mindfulness practice.
All the X's and O's,
Eva