Coffee and Meditation
Sitting on the couch, sleep-deprived, and comforting a teething baby provides ample opportunity to overthink all sorts of things. "Where's my social security card?" "Am I doing enough with my life?" "Did I forget to put dinner away?" "When was the last time I cleaned out the refrigerator?"
If you're also like me, you'll use those few minutes to check emails, pay bills, and write reminders. It's as though my mind never stops thinking about the next task. I have to force myself to take breaks and stop doing. A new meditation app has recently become a favorite of mine to breathe and practice affirmations. My skeptical personality refrained me from trying it out sooner, but I've been pleasantly surprised by its simplicity and encouraging quotes.
The settings allow me to customize a delivery time for the first messages of the day, which I've set to notify me at 9 am. The morning is the busiest part of my day and also when I feel most frustrated. The kids are all needing and wanting one thing or another, my coffee always gets cold before I get to drink it, and I'm also plotting out all my tasks of the day. It can feel as though my attention is split in six different directions, but then I'll get a pop-up notification from my meditation app. This morning, my affirmation said, "You are what you believe." It was the perfect reminder to set aside my self-doubt and appreciate myself for all the things I do to keep my family, home, and work-life operating smoothly. "I am successful." I don't have to have everything done perfectly at all times to know that I'm doing a good job.
As silly as it seems to some people, there is credibility behind these meditation apps. The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkley writes on this topic often. The more aware a person becomes of their surroundings and internal thoughts and emotions, the better apt they are to recognize their needs. My current goal is to provide my partner more time to do things he enjoys. I know that he will feel happier and healthier if he plays guitar more often or can get a breather outside when the kids are getting loud and busy. A more satisfied husband means a happier me, so I'm here for it.
What are some apps or strategies you use to bring a few moments of peace to your busy days? Feel free to share them in the comments!