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Hey everyone, Angie Miller here with AFFA and I'm
so glad you joined me here today.
So did you know that today is World Mental Health Day?
So I can't think of a better day to talk
about how we, as fitness professionals,
can improve our mental wellness so that we can pass that along
to our participants.
So as a mental health therapist and educator, and a fitness
professional, I really believe in the value
of treating the mind and the body
together and respecting the connection between the two.
So my goal is to help everyone feel
healthy from the inside out, and meditation,
what I'm going to talk about today,
is one way that we can do that.
Meditation is a form of self-care
and we, as fitness professionals,
are on a mission to save the world.
But we have to save ourselves first
and meditation is that form of self-care
that can help us do that.
So why meditation?
Well, meditation promotes peace and calm, and mental clarity.
Sometimes our mind can feel like a whiteboard filled
to capacity, and meditation can be
the thing that clears some space, the eraser that
clears some space.
Research supports that meditation can help drive down
stress and reduce anxiety, and that it
can improve areas of the brain associated
with learning and memory.
So how do you meditate?
Well, there's lots of different styles and forms of meditation.
If you're brand new, you might want
to consider downloading an app or joining a meditation
class where you have a community of support.
But let's say that you want to meditate
in the comfort of your own home and you just
want to get started on a simple breathing meditation.
Well, I have some tips to help you get started on doing that.
A simple breathing meditation that you
can do in the comfort of your own home.
So number one, start with three to five minutes a day
and add time as your awareness improves and your comfort
level improves.
Number two, try to meditate at the same time every day
so that you can create habit and establish a routine.
Number three, also try to meditate in the same place
every time that you meditate, so that it's a place of comfort,
a place that is peaceful, a place that is clutter-free,
and you could even bring in some objects that bring you comfort.
Some pictures, or some candles, or you
could even bring in an object that you
can use during meditation that you want to focus on.
Number four, you want to sit or lie down on a mat
or in a chair.
If you sit, try to think about setting up
as tall and dignified as you can.
Think about something still and statuesque,
something unwavering like a mountain,
and allow your posture to reflect that through strength,
and awareness, and commitment.
Number five, you can close your eyes
or you can focus on the object that you have chosen.
Number six, you want to breathe slowly,
and gently, and calmly without forcing your breath in any way.
And when your thoughts start to wander,
just bring them back to your breath
or bring them back to the object.
Number seven, when your thoughts do wander--
and they will, they'll wander during meditation just
like they do in everyday life.
So when your thoughts wander, we really
want to avoid chasing them, or condemning them, or judging
them.
I just picture my thoughts floating away
on a cloud in the sky or floating away on a leaf
going down the river, then I bring my thoughts
back to my breath or back to the object that I am meditating
or using as my focal point.
So those are just some quick and simple tips that you can use.
Remember, there's no right or wrong way to meditate.
Meditation is just a way that we disconnect from the outside
world and connect with ourselves in a very personal ,
caring way.
It's just a form of self-care for us.
So I'm so glad you joined me here today.
I hope that you'll consider connecting
with me on social media.
On Instagram, I'm AngieMillerFitness,
and on Facebook and Twitter I'm AngieMillerFit.
My website's angiemillerfitness.com.
Keep doing what you love and loving
what you do because you're doing a great job.
I will see you next week.
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