6-Day Meditation Challenge

Thanks for signing up for the 6-Day Meditation Challenge, if you signed up via the newsletter button, you will get these days sent to you one by one via e-mail. If you have time, feel free to read through and watch all the videos right now!

Day 1

What is Meditation?

Meditation is when we CONNECT our Body – Mind – Spirit. It is that simple. It takes focus and practicing definitely helps, but it can be easy!

There are so many ways to meditate – some are very complex, some are very simple. Each has benefits.

Want the simplest step ever to meditate?
Download an app and follow their beginner program.

Here are three apps I can recommend.

Don’t try all 3… rather if you want, pick ONE and download it today! I will talk about the pros and cons of each more thoroughly in the Facebook Video. ?

Mindfulness: Turn it on and follow the steps, they walk you through everything.
This is a tool I used at the beginning of my meditation journey and it was great. I loved the timed sessions.

Headspace. My family and I are doing the BASIC program together before we pray and study scriptures each night. It only takes 3 minutes and I love sharing this powerful tool of meditation with my family, in an easy way!

Insight Timer – This has SOOO Many different guided meditations you can listen to. When I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep I go to this app and listen to some of my favorites. If you want to know whose mine are – reply to this e-mail and ask. I will send you my list!
While Apps are great, there are limitations with them.
I enjoy using apps, but quickly found that I wanted to be able to meditate on my own and needed some guidance on how to do so. Over time I took different classes, read different books and came up with a simple meditation that I now love to teach others.

Tomorrow you will start learning some of the main simple steps.

That’s it, Day 1 is pretty easy, download an app and try a guided meditation!

Now you have some different ways you can easily get started with meditating. Or if you already meditate, you have an app to help you go deeper. Remember to watch the video for guidance on a good fit for you. Good Job! ?

Video 1

Day 2 – Silence?

Let’s delve into the myth of silence. People think that if they are meditating there will be silence in their minds.

If you have no thoughts in your mind then you are DEAD.

So, you WILL have thoughts in your mind while you meditate.
The trick to success, is to be ok with that.
Just notice your thoughts and be ok with them. Let them float away.

Imagine your thoughts are like sticks in a river floating by. You see them, but you don’t have to pick them up and hold them.

Our mind is always here, our body is always here and our spirit is always here, as we learn to let them be present and work together we find more peace. Fun Time for today: Set a timer for 3 minutes and then relax and be aware of your thoughts… just let them float on by!

On our video today I will walk you through a 3 minute exercise, talking you through it! We also will delve deeper into the myth of silence!

Did you think you needed to have silence in your mind to meditate?
Is it easy for you to just observe your thoughts?

Also follow along with the 3 minute meditation that I will walk you through to practice being aware of thoughts and letting them go.

Video 2

Day 3 – Breathe

Your breath can be your best friend. It is always there. You just have to connect with it and it can support you through anything!

Breathing is so powerful because it connects your spirit and body together. Being aware of our breathing and being intentional with it we facilitate and strengthen that connection.

There are many ways to breath!

Of course you are breathing all day and all night long. It is when we bring focus onto our breath that it creates that connection that can help us.

Here are a few simple ways you can do this.

Square Breathing, Deep Breathing, Awareness

It is going to be tricky for me to explain these in writing, so please watch the video to learn more.

Remember it is ok to have thoughts while you are breathing. Just be aware of them and let them go.

Just like that you’ve found your new best friend! This knowledge has changed my life.

Video 3

Day 4 – Mantras – you might not know you already use them every day!

Mantras – don’t let this word freak you out. We all have mantras –

Mantras = sayings we repeat over and over again.

Most mantras don’t serve us, because we are not aware of them.

Here are some of my “bad” mantras.

I hate cooking.
Carpool lines suck!
I am bad at helping B with math. (Common Core Blows my mind!)

Our words are SO powerful,

so being intentional and choosing what we want to say and repeat over and over again is amazing. I am really passionate about this and have a whole long video about it, if you want to delve deeper. (Click here to watch video)

Picking mantras that can serve us can be life changing.

Some of my favorite mantras are:

I can do this!
Be Still My Soul
I can learn math.

I like these because there are 4 words – which I will explain more on our bonus day 6!

So for right now I want you to pick a mantra.

There are a few reasons why it is good to use mantras when you are meditating!

Speaking or thinking words will help your mind and spirit connect.
It can also help us to stay more present while we meditate.
I also think it is so great, because it takes these positive thoughts and we are practicing them in a relaxed state, which helps our body and mind start to believe them!

Sometimes taking some time to think about the negative ones you have that you didn’t even know you were saying brings an important awareness.

Then take time to think of positive ones you want to replace the negative ones with.

Now if you need help coming up with positive mantras, let me know!

Video 4

Day 5 – Movements Help You Focus

After today – you’re going to have some simple steps for meditation success.

I am giving you a bonus day where I explain how you can put it all together.

Sitting Still Can Be a Challenge!

For some people sitting still is a challenge. It was hard for me to focus for longer than a few minutes while meditating until I added movement into my routine. So, I am excited to share this tip with you!

We have this idea that meditating is someone sitting Indian style with their hands on their knees and chanting. This is one way. But you can move!

Large Movements
Some people enjoy large movements, like walking or running or biking or even sweeping.

I think what can incorporate these things into a meditation routine is awareness and that means you are aware of your thoughts, but let them float on by.

To me that would mean I wouldn’t be listening to a podcast or even music – unless maybe instrumental or very repetitive music (there is specific meditation music with mantras)

Also I would probably incorporate my mantra into it. So, while sweeping, maybe I would be saying “I love to bless my home” or “Hugging My home”

Small Movements

Another option is to use much smaller movements… I like to do finger touches. Which equals 4 touches which will prove handy tomorrow. ?

Watch our video for today and you can see how I do my small movements and I will delve a little deeper on the power of moving during meditation.

Of course, I will end by walking you through a meditation.

Video 5

Bonus Day – Put it all Together!

I have been teaching you the steps to create a simple meditation. I had to have this bonus day, because today we are going to put all 4 parts together and I am going to address routines!

Mantras, Movements, Breathing and “Silence”

How to put it together!

Breathe in for 4 counts and out for 4 counts (or you can do square breathing!)

While you do – Finger touches (4 – so makes it easy)

And you Say your – Mantra with 4 words so also makes it easy.

After doing this for a few minutes – Take a deep breath and then sit in “Silence” for a minute or so. Be aware of your thoughts but let them just float away.

I will demonstrate this as well as walk you through in this video.

Video 6

Having and Following a Routine can be the hardest part

Most people find the hardest part about meditating is making it a routine!

You know meditation will benefit you and now you know that meditation can be easy.

The question is, can you make it part of your daily routine?

2 TOOLS to help you create a routine.

Tiny Steps for Meditation Success

A book with a 40-day challenge. Read a short chapter a day and do a simple exercise. https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Meditation-Success-Sheridan-Ripley/dp/1718018843/

Essentials to Enjoy Life

The foundation of Essentials to Enjoy Life class is MPoWeR. I have mentioned the MPoWeR group, maybe you have been wondering what that was. Well to start off – M=meditation.

The Essentials to Enjoy Life 8-week Online class gives you accountability with a weekly check in on your goals. You will also learn why it is hard to follow through on the things that are important to you. Then you will learn the tools to help you be successful on creating and following through on your plans. These tools will also help with so many other things.

Visit my online school to see when the next class is starting!

MPoWeR Class

I didn’t mention this in the video, because it is NEW Class! People who missed the start of the latest Essentials to Enjoy Life class wanted extra support creating routines before the next class starts. So I put together an ongoing MPoWeR class, which is perfect for those of you who want to get your meditation routine going ASAP!

You get instant access to the whole class as soon as you register. In this class you learn ALL the MPoWeR goodness. Meditation, Prayer, Writing and Reading. As well as get a little taste of how our brain works and why it can be so challenging to create positive routines.