Pause to Live Longer: How Simple Meditation Can Transform Your Life

The Negative Impact of Stress on Our Health

Did you know that chronic stress can reduce your lifespan by years? But what if a simple practice could change that?

Stress affects us all; no one escapes it. Yet we can fight it….

Even if stress is difficult to handle, there are effective ways to manage stress.

We hurry through our days like a hummingbird with a caffeine kick, minds racing with the next five tasks demanding our attention. In this constant rush, we never pay attention to where we are or how we feel.

Life is a series of problems to solve, and it often feels like we’re always short on time. Each day has just 24 hours, but some things can create the space you need.

Have you ever felt like there’s never enough time in the day? What if you could create a sense of space and calm despite your busy schedule?

The Power of Meditation

Meditation can be simple and swift. Sit, breathe, and gently hush the constant buzzing voice in your head.

I used to think meditation required at least an hour a day to see the benefits. But I have found that just two minutes a day makes a difference in how I feel.

Your to-do list? It can wait…

Your mom is calling? It can wait…

You remember that one time you fell in third grade and everyone laughed? It can wait…

Our lives are overflowing with obligations. Yet finding five minutes for ourselves feels impossible…

Pay your bills, pick up the kids, and hand in that report — these tasks are unavoidable. However, don’t you deserve some time for yourself? Especially when it can make you healthier, less stressed, happier, and help you live longer.

Practical Steps to Start Meditating

Meditation doesn’t need an app, music, or any extras. Silence is perfectly fine…

Sit, breathe, and let your thoughts be…

Picture a thought like a leaf floating along a river. You can’t remove them all, nor should you try. Let them be. Don’t pick them up or play with them. Let them drift away. Acknowledge their presence, but don’t force them away; let them glide past you.

Meditation is about being present. Free from past and future thoughts, and pausing the constant narration of your mind.

As Jon Kabat-Zinn said, ‘You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.’

A Simple breathing exercise

Try box breathing: inhale for four seconds through your mouth, hold for four seconds, then exhale slowly through your mouth for four seconds. You can use a straw or purse your lips.

A simple 2-minute meditation you can do at any moment

1. Sit or lie down comfortably.

2. Close your eyes if you prefer.

3. Focus on your breath

4. Count to four as you inhale.

5. Hold for four counts.

6. Exhale for four counts.

7. Did you think of something and get distracted? It’s okay. Just let it drift away, like the leaf on the river stream, and go back to your breath.

Why don't you try it for two minutes now?

How did that feel? Could you sense a shift in your state of mind, even in just two minutes?

The science of how meditation changes our brain

One study called; “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density” by Hölzel et al. (2011) was done at the Massachusetts General Hospitalused used MRI scans before and after an eight-week meditation program to observe changes.

During an eight-week meditation program. The structure of the participant’s brains changed. The brain got more of something called gray matter. Grey matter is a tissue in the brain and spinal cord that allows the brain to function normally from day to day. More gray matter means our brain is more resilient to change and stress. While also making it better at adapting to new experiences. Meaning, meditation improves mental and emotional health.

What can happen if you meditate consistently?

- Reduced stress.

- Improved focus and concentration.

- Feeling more present in the moment.

- Better emotional regulation.

- Empathy and Compassion.

- Increased self-awareness.

- Better memory and learning.

- Lower blood pressure.

- Reduced chronic pain.

- Better sleep.

- Better Immune system.

- Reduced anxiety and depression.

Imagine experiencing all these benefits in your daily life. How would consistent meditation transform your overall well-being? The best part is that it is free, and requires no medication, equipment, or prior skills.

Conclusion

Meditation is about being present. Free from past and future thoughts, and pausing the constant narration of your mind. It can have positive changes to your life, focus, happiness, and health. It does not have to take much time, but it can give large benefits.

I love meditation. Even if I am not as consistent with it as like I would like, I still feel its benefits. It helps me during stressful moments, sad times, and times when I need to reflect on a difficult choice. Out of all my habits, meditation is one I will never stop doing. I hope you will also give it a try.

Have you tried meditation? How has it impacted your life? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!

NB! This article was originally posted on my Medium profile, Under the name; "Pause to Live Longer: How Simple Meditation Can Transform Your Life"

If you are interested in the topics of:

- Self-improvement

- Meditation

- Healthy eating

- Habits and Habit Building

- Sleep

- Books

If you enjoyed this read and found it valuable. Feel free to follow me, or even subscribe to my email list to get my articles directly in your mailbox. I plan to write 1–2 articles per week, and I hope you will enjoy them! I also would love to connect with other writers here, so please send me a message or leave a comment, I would very much appreciate it.