They say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but I am challenging that limiting belief.
As someone who spent the better part of her life in a chronic state of over-thinking and excessive worrying, I was always looking for ways to manage my thoughts and reduce my stress. I tried therapy, acupuncture, weekly massages, you name it. Nine years ago, I even got an emotional support dog. He is my best bud, but it turns out that he had more anxiety than I did, so I am basically his emotional support human.
While there is no magic bullet to managing anxiety, I have definitely learned a few new tricks along the way. As a coach, I believe there are some essential daily tools to managing an over-active mind and reducing stress.
One of my favorite tools is meditation. Now for those of you who already have a daily practice, congratulations, but for those of you who are still saying things like:
It’s too hard.
I cannot sit still with my own thoughts.
My mind races when I close my eyes.
I have tried, it doesn’t work for me.
I totally get it. I said all of the same things.
When I first tried meditation on my own, I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. My heartbeat would actually accelerate instead of slowing down. It made me feel vulnerable and actually more anxious. Oh, and I would invariably start thinking about my To-Do list.
Often times, people don’t want to start a meditation practice for these reasons:
No time
No privacy
Can’t find the perfect place
Too many distractions
Here’s the deal. None of these things are actually true.
My big excuse was that my little dog has to be by my side at all times (or he whines) and is prone to barking. If he hears a noise outside, he goes into an ear-piercing barking fit. It’s his only flaw, but it’s a big one. And since he is always by my side, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to meditate if he were to start barking. I eventually made the decision that rather than lock him in another room and listen to him whine, we were going to learn to meditate together. That meant that he was going to sit down with me and be still while I was still. If he barked in the middle, I would just keep meditating.
Life happens and most of it we cannot control. The only thing we can control is our reaction to it. Meditation is a great reminder of this.
My little dog and I have meditated every morning together for the last 4 1/2 years. Sometimes he still barks in the middle, but meditation is a practice not an act of perfection. There is no perfect chair. There is no perfect circumstance. We just practice… and we both love it.
I believe meditation is the secret language of inner peace. It is a practice that leads to better health, more creativity, and a greater sense of calm. I fell in love with it so much, that I started recording my own guided meditations, so others could learn how to do it too. You can find my guided meditations on my podcast or on my YouTube channel.
If you are struggling with stress or anxiety and would like to learn more about working with me as a 1:1 coach, I invite you to schedule a free consultation call today by clicking here.
We are never too old to learn new tricks.
