Check-In -- 30 Day Meditation Challenge

I hate being sick. I'm just getting over a stomach bug that knocked me right out this past weekend and left me unwilling to do anything that required movement. Of course, this had to happen when I had blog posts in mind.

Because I was sick I missed 2 days of my 30 Day Mediation Challenge. I'm all caught up now, so it's time for my check-in! 




Meditating every day is pretty awesome. It doesn't take me much time at all, and it's so relaxing. Anything that doesn't require me to sweat, or change out of my PJ pants is amazing in my books.

There are a few things I've noticed so far while doing this challenge:

My posture is horrendous

I spend way too much of my time slouched over, and it's really affecting my back. During meditation, you have to sit UP STRAIGHT. The first few days I found my shoulder dropping into a slouch within a few minutes of the guided meditation. I'm starting to get better at it, but it's also taking away from my meditation by having to focus so much on it while I'm trying to not focus on anything at all. The last few days I've been sitting with my back against a wall, which makes it a lot easier to stay upright. During my workday, when I sit at a desk for hours and hours and hours I'm paying more attention to my posture, so hopefully one day it won't be an issue

I take short shallow breaths instead of long deep breathes

I've been aware of this for awhile now, but never realized how difficult it is to change. When meditating (or just taking a moment to be calm) you're supposed to take deep breathes into your lungs, where you can feel/see your whole chest fill up with air. I remember years ago when doing a relaxation exercise, My breaths don't work that way. My "deep breathes" are very short and in the top of my chest. I can't see my chest move up and down. When I try to take breathes like that I get dizzy, because I'm not used to breathing in that much air. It's a bit easier when I breathe in through my mouth (I'm a major nose breather), but it still seems foreign to me. I just have to keep practicing.

It's easier to "recharge"

At first, I did the guided meditation in the evenings, at home. It was almost impossible for my animals to leave me alone for 10 minutes. I was distracted easily because I was anticipating my pup to step all over my legs, or lick my face, or my cat to claw me from underneath my bed (it's her favorite trick). Once I realized this wasn't going to work out, I started listening to the videos during a break at work. This made such a difference. I was finally able to really relax, but I was also doing it at a time when I needed a moment to myself, to recharge. I usually get into a slump in the middle of the day where I can't focus on anything, but after meditating, it's easier for me to be productive. All the brain fuzz I have going on at 2pm clears away, and I'm left with just my awesomeness to get me through the rest of the day!


I'm really looking forward to the next 15 days of the challenge.

Have you ever meditated before? Done any other kind of 30 Day Challenges? Let me know in the comments!

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