When most people think of meditation, they simply think of monks that
live in caves or monasteries, spending their time sitting cross-legged
on the floor. Many people don't realize all the benefits of meditation
and don't take the time to try it for themselves.
The truth is, meditation isn't just for monks and gurus. Anyone can
experience and enjoy the benefits of meditation. Spiritual and
non-spiritual people alike have used meditation for thousands of years
to help them achieve goals, feel less stressed, and experience more
vibrant health.
Stress reduction is one of the most commonly known benefits of
meditation. Just the very act of clearing your mind and finding a quiet
place to meditate will work wonders to reduce your stress levels.
Better still, the feelings of tranquility you will experience can be
felt long past the time that you spent meditating - every day will flow
with a renewed sense of purpose and serenity.
The reduction in your stress level opens the door for many of the
other benefits of meditation. First, when you reduce your levels of
stress you will be able to think much more clearly and complete your
daily tasks with relative ease. This will give you more freedom to do
the things you truly enjoy doing and will help to limit your amount of
stress even further.
Second, when you feel stress and anxiety, your body releases
cortisol, a dangerous chemical that is linked to a lot of maladies,
including cancer, diabetes, and strokes. Through meditation, you can
decrease the cortisol levels in your body, helping you to avoid
difficult and potentially life-threatening diseases.
Third, enhanced sleep is a byproduct of stress reduction, making it
one of the key benefits of meditation. Most of us spend our days so
stressed out that when it comes time to sleep; we are unable to shut
down our thoughts. Unfortunately because of this, the deep sleep we
need for our mental, physical and emotional healing doesn't happen. If
you are consistent in your meditation practices you will get a better
nights sleep, wake up refreshed and have much more energy throughout
the day.
Aside from stress reduction, one of the premier benefits of
meditation is the ability to get rid of the “monkey mind”, the useless
chatter that goes on in most people's minds. Have you ever noticed how
your mind becomes cluttered with worries, irrelevant thoughts, and
negativity, even when you are trying to focus on an important task?
This is what they call the "monkey mind", and not many people are even
aware that it really exists. A regular meditation session helps you to
quiet the "monkey mind" to help you focus and reach your goals more
efficiently.
Although the concept of meditation can be rather difficult for a
lot of people to learn, especially if they see their stress and mind
chatter as just a “way of life”, the benefits of meditation are well
worth your effort. Regardless of whether you only meditate for ten
minutes a day, you will still get some great benefits that can
completely change your life!
We all have attitudes - good or bad. But how much does your attitude really have to do with whether you are successful or not? Robyn Simpson, author, international speaker, high performance attitude coach and inspirer is launching a highly motivational and inspirational book ‘Attitude, Aptitude, Altitude – Choose Your ‘Tude!’ to help people create better results in their work and life. With the current economic climate, rising unemployment and global warming, all of these things impact us and are out of our control. So how does our attitude impact on us? “We live in a world where outside influences can be beyond our control, however our responses to those things can make a huge difference to our general well being and happiness,” say Ms Simpson. “There are many things we do have control over, and it is our choice to take personal responsibility for those, although sometimes it feels easier to go with the flow. Successful people choose to take responsibility and make their own decisions rather than be at the effect of others.” When asked; “If a person is made redundant, if they choose a positive attitude everything will be alright?” Ms Simpson responded “Some people are made redundant and choose to see it as a personal attack and allow their self esteem to be damaged, which can cause a downward spiral of depression. Others are made redundant and decide they will find another job and those who do so with a positive attitude are more likely to get re-employed. A small percentage of people who get made redundant see it as an opportunity to try something else like traveling, a new career or studying to up-skill. How you see this situation depends on your attitude towards it.” “I would love to see attitudes and self responsibility was taught in schools. It would make such a difference to our communities,” states Ms Simpson. “My message is not new, however I see so many people missing it I decided to write this book to help people understand some things are really simple to change, and can make the difference between living an unhappy life or a happy one.” More than simply a book, the 17 chapters of inspiring and practical lessons help every day people excel in everything they do. There is a 15-step ‘Structure of Goals’ process that provides readers with a logical and simple process to follow. Combined with a practical Work Book, readers learn valuable life enhancing habits that will serve them well in work and in life. No matter what the goal is, if every step of the 15-step Structure of Goals process is completed, you will progress and reach your goal. Having the right attitude is closely linked to the ability to achieve goals. Achieving goals builds self-esteem, which assists people to choose great attitudes. Plus this book is full of resources for readers including inspirational downloads, information, websites and much more, to help continue the learning. ‘Attitude, Aptitude, Altitude – Choose Your ‘Tude!’ is attracting a lot of positive media attention. It seems the attitudes of people are changing. Those who choose great attitudes believe they can be successful and achieve great things. Ms Simpsons goal is to reach over 10 million people worldwide with this message and she is well on her way to achieving that. As she says herself, if a girl from a small town called Paekakariki can do it with very few resources – anyone can.
