Birthday Resolution: don't worry

lilmutegirl

lilmutegirl

Well-known member
So...yesterday was my birthday...with the exception of realizing I made a mistake at work, it was a good day.
I decided that evening that I need to try to be more calm and focus on the here-and-now, as opposed to worrying about everything so much, as I feel the distraction of the worry tends to make things worse...
Somehow, since I made this resolution, I have felt much more at ease. I had a test today, and took it with relatively little anxiety, as well as going to a graduation fair, and asking questions of some of the people there without feeling like holding back.
I don't know how I have managed to stay so calm so far, but I hope I keep it up...
 
Entangled

Entangled

Well-known member
Meditation and 'living in the now' really help lower anxiety. I do this routine sometimes to get myself to relax and clear my mind. The goal is to essentially make your mind quiet or 'not think' and only think/focus on what you are currently doing, which in this case is breathing:

Breathing Meditation 1 (Kabat-Zinn 1996)

Assume a comfortable posture lying on your back or sitting. If you are sitting, keep the spine straight and let your shoulders drop.

Close your eyes if it feels comfortable.

Bring your attention to your belly, feeling it rise or expand gently on the inbreath and fall or recede on the outbreath.

Keep your focus on the breathing, “being with” each inbreath for its full duration and with each outbreath for its full duration, as if you were riding the waves of your own breathing.

Every time you notice that your mind has wandered off the breath, notice what it was that took you away and then gently bring your attention back to your belly and the feeling of the breath coming in and out.

If your mind wanders away from the breath a thousand times, then your “job” is simply to bring it back to the breath every time, no matter what it becomes preoccupied with.

Practice this exercise for fifteen minutes at a convenient time every day, whether you feel like it or not, for one week and see how it feels to incorporate a disciplined meditation practice into your life. Be aware of how it feels to spend some time each day just being with your breath without having to do anything.
 
dottie

dottie

Well-known member
Entangled said:
Meditation and 'living in the now' really help lower anxiety. I do this routine sometimes to get myself to relax and clear my mind. The goal is to essentially make your mind quiet or 'not think' and only think/focus on what you are currently doing, which in this case is breathing:

Breathing Meditation 1 (Kabat-Zinn 1996)

Assume a comfortable posture lying on your back or sitting. If you are sitting, keep the spine straight and let your shoulders drop.

Close your eyes if it feels comfortable.

Bring your attention to your belly, feeling it rise or expand gently on the inbreath and fall or recede on the outbreath.

Keep your focus on the breathing, “being with” each inbreath for its full duration and with each outbreath for its full duration, as if you were riding the waves of your own breathing.

Every time you notice that your mind has wandered off the breath, notice what it was that took you away and then gently bring your attention back to your belly and the feeling of the breath coming in and out.

If your mind wanders away from the breath a thousand times, then your “job” is simply to bring it back to the breath every time, no matter what it becomes preoccupied with.

Practice this exercise for fifteen minutes at a convenient time every day, whether you feel like it or not, for one week and see how it feels to incorporate a disciplined meditation practice into your life. Be aware of how it feels to spend some time each day just being with your breath without having to do anything.
Click to expand...

Are you supposed to breathe like you normally would sitting there, naturally? Or are you supposed to try to take extra-deep breaths?
 
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