It doesn’t really make sense to decide that you’re going to meditate while you’re watching a movie, playing with the kids, or exercising at the gym. At the same time,

don’t think that it always has to be in your backyard or on your bedroom floor on a yoga mat. Some people do their best meditating while they’re gardening, driving

(when they’re alone with the radio off) or even sitting on a plane. You just need to be someplace where you can literally zone out and be alone with your

thoughts. Only you know where that is.

The first hour or so in the morning is really sacred time. After that, you can easily get distracted by all of the things on your to-do list. That’s why

it’s super helpful to meditate right when you get out of bed. If you tend to get up early, it’s even better because the world is quiet. There’s just you, the

sunrise and not much else. Perfect.

Good meditation is about quality not quantity. If you’re new to it, take the pressure off of thinking that you need to devote 30 minutes a day. Even some of

the most devote practitioners don’t have that kind of time. A good 15 minutes is ideal. Start off with two minutes and work your way up. It might not sound

like much, but if you’re not used to sitting still for that long, trust us, it will be an adjustment---at first.

Some of the best meditators will tell you that it’s important to focus more on keeping your mind still than being totally silent. It can actually help you to meditate better

if you decide to count your breathing. Say “one” as you inhale and “two” as you exhale. Repeat this process for a count of 10. It will keep you calm

and centered.

Some people would never consider meditating with another person, but it can be pretty effective. It can help to keep you accountable to the meditation process, and as you and

your friend discuss meditation, it can also help you to learn about other techniques. 

You can physically meditate together or you can call each other on the phone after meditating to

talk about what it did for you. Verbalizing the benefits of meditation can be extremely helpful.

What should you think about while you’re meditating? Don’t put the pressure on yourself to put a lot of thought in at all. But if you feel better about centering

your thoughts, put them on things that you’re grateful. Expressing gratitude is known to reduce anxiety, cultivate happiness and make us more productive throughout the day.

As with anything in life, stick with it. Meditating a couple of times and then moving on to something else is not going to help you to get the optimal

benefits out of it. Make the time to do it every morning. No matter how busy you may be, it will make the quality of your day so much better.

Guaranteed.