We kick off our Fall Full Body Challenge (FFBC) this week, and one of the areas we’re focused on this year is establishing a daily mindfulness habit. This might be reading 10 pages before bed, journaling, or even meditating. As our FFBC coaches have been meeting with participating athletes, we’re seeing a common concern come up – “I just really struggle with meditating”.
Here’s the thing – we often overcomplicate the idea of meditation. I’ve personally tried starting a meditation practice more times than I can count, each time deciding that I “suck at it” because my mind wanders or I feel the urge to squirm around. I’m an over thinker by nature – my brain is constantly overloaded with to do lists, thinking about the next move on my calendar, and reciting things that I can’t forget to handle.
Sure, there are lots of great apps out there where a calm narrator walks you through a guided meditation, reminding you to let go of your thoughts and focus on your breathing. I even serve as that narrator on Mondays at 12:45pm in our yoga studio – but being on the receiving end of that meditation can be tough!
“Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.”
The only times I can really get out of my head and into the groove are while attending yoga, Bootcamp, or CrossFit class at Myriad. I’m so focused on movement, how my body feels, or how many reps I have left. I am 100 percent invested in what I am doing in that moment, and that is what we hope to achieve in meditation. I love that in classes, for one whole hour, my mind is focused on the task at hand and not racing with thoughts and ideas.
When you look at it this way, meditation doesn’t seem so complicated. Find something, ANYTHING, that you enjoy, that engages your mind and takes your focus away from the hustle of everyday life. Breathe and be fully immersed in whatever it is, even if only for a few minutes each day.
Inspiration provided by Liz White at Bow Valley CrossFit.com.