Below you will find a video titled: “Neuroscientist: You Must Meditate Everyday” by Andrew Huberman. This video provides some great insight into why meditation is so important and how our brain is operating when we do and don’t meditate. Our thoughts are very powerful and it is time for us to understand our minds and thoughts.
Andrew Huberman is an American neuroscientist and associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. His involvement in this field includes making contributions in brain development, brain plasticity, and neural regeneration and repair fields.
I found this video fascinating because of the science of how our brain works in relation to our thoughts. Here are some key takeaways I enjoyed:
Thoughts, feelings and memories grow in their prominence when my awareness is focused
When you focus on your brain the thoughts come by in waves and can be overwhelming because there are so many of them
When you direct your attention to the area of your brain that directs attention there is nothing to sense there
We are usually splitting our perception into multiple things, our feelings and thoughts
When we put all of our perception into thoughts we can see how disorganized, random and intrusive they can be
Most people are in their own heads a lot and not in the present moment
We can be focused sometimes too much on what we perceive internally than we do externally
The need to meditate focuses inward, making us more mindful and aware. It can enhance our presence and happiness for well being
What are your thoughts? How often are you focused more inwardly than presently?
The pressure of beginning a mental health routine can be intimidating and you might encounter times of self doubt. View each moment as a new way to improve your life. One step at a time
Why Should I Even Try?
The benefits outweigh doing nothing at all. We are challenged everyday with scenarios that will test our love for ourselves and how we will fight. Start positive habits to be prepared for anything that makes you doubt you.
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Treat Today As Day One and Act With Purpose and Happiness
I was thinking today how many times I don’t consciously make an effort to stay positive. I consider myself a positive person but sometimes I find myself distracted and get caught up in scenarios that make me think too much.
What Can I Do To Start A Better Inner Dialogue?
We have to be proactive in our conscious state and provide positive self talk and outlooks so we can anchor to those images when times get tough.
Our subconscious mind responds to what we tell it. If we believe we are bad at somethings, our subconscious will follow that command. We don’t see the results of negative self talk immediately but you may later and describe it as a bad personality trait.
Who wants to believe that they have no control? Why would you want to feel like your destiny is out of your control?
If we can acknowledge our bad habits, we know that our thoughts can also produce good ones, which gives hope and optimism to all. We are a product of our thoughts.
Interesting Quote for Life
Films are developed in the dark; likewise, mental pictures are developed in the darkroom of the subconscious mind
The book discusses the many elements of how your mind works, the power of your subconscious and the various mental healing techniques you can apply to your life to live a happier and fulfilled life.
The reason I love this book so much is because I noticed the many different ways my thoughts were creating obstacles for me that I really never gave a look to. The parts of the book I love are the practical techniques to program your subconscious for success; how to use your subconscious for forgiveness, removing mental blocks, removing fear, harmonious human relations, and finding your happiness. Definitely pick this up to super charge your mind.
One Example of Subconscious Training
Have you ever noticed a bad habit and felt so defeated that you felt you will never overcome it? Joseph Murphy discusses this topic and states that declaring that you have a problem is the first step.
He then states,”If you are presented with a difficult situation and you cannot see your way clear, the best procedure is to assume that infinite intelligence within your subconscious mind knows all and sees all, has the answer, and is revealing it to you now. Your new mental attitude that the creative intelligence is bringing about a happy solution will enable you to find the answer. Rest assured that such an attitude of mind would bring order, peace and meaning to all your undertakings.”
The power of that thought was ground breaking for me. BELIEF. Believe in the power of you. How you speak to yourself and how you believe you can overcome everything is very important. If you believe you will fail your subconscious will do as it is told or conditioned to believe.
Exercise 1
Pick a phrase of belief for yourself. Choosing to be happy is a great goal. Here is an example Joseph Murphy gave:
“I am a spiritual and mental magnet attracting to myself all things, which bless and prosper me. I am going to be a wonderful success in all my life undertakings today. I am definitely going to be happy all day long.”
Start with this phrase in the morning and feel the emotion of what it entails. Embrace it. Maybe you have a goal in mind or a bad habit you want to change. State your objective of success and how good it would feel for you. Just like affirmations, our subconscious will be fed positive self talk that will change how we view ourselves.
If your mind wanders throughout the day just anchor back to this statement and vision. Quitting a bad habit? Think of people that will congratulate you and mean something to you. Anchor back to those thoughts to fight the negativity.
Enjoy the process of growing. This is just one example of enjoying the present journey and knowing that over time if you put in the work of feeling positive, your subconscious will help you with guiding you with those powerful statements and thoughts. Our thoughts change as long as we want them to. Keep trying friend, I am. rooting for you and believe you can do it. Today is Day 1.
Have you ever had a horrible day and feel like bad things always happen to you? I used to feel like this a lot. Then I had my AHA moment: my self talk is horrible. How can I change that? The first solution is Positive Affirmations.
Boosting our self-worth should always be a priority. Sometimes people can make you feel insignificant, sometimes scenarios feel hopeless and sometimes you stay stuck with a feeling of worthlessness. Positive affirmations are the perfect solution to boosting your self-worth and self confidence. Speak positively about yourself through repetition and love.
Your inner dialogue can help or hurt your current situation. Panic, stress and self doubt can creep in at any moment of the day. Affirmations can counter and lift you to new heights. Fight for your positive mental health by bolstering your self confidence.
The Science Behind Positive Affirmations
Many studies have been done in regards to the effects of positive thinking and improving your self worth. There is an article that shows more in depth the science behind positive affirmations
“A study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (1) used MRI to reveal that practising self-affirmation activates the reward centres in your brain. Simply say to yourself “I will earn that promotion” and it’ll light up the same reward centres that respond to other pleasurable experiences, such as eating great food. or winning a prize. It fires up your neural pathways and makes changes to those areas of the brain that makes you happy and positive.”
www.thirdspace.london
Why Was I Drawn To Positive Affirmations?
While browsing through YouTube I came across several videos that were 10-20 minutes long with just affirmations that claimed if you listened to them daily you will fill your mind with positive ideas for improving your self talk.
I was intrigued because I really wasn’t too happy with my inner dialogue and felt it was worth a shot to see what affirmations were really about. I found that you are proactively decreasing stress and adding positive value to your identity. We can be very critical of ourselves and it’s time to be kind and empower ourselves.
What Are Some Affirmations I Can Use?
You can focus on various areas of your life like careers, relationships or self esteem. There is no right answer, just find some that resonate with you and your current feelings you wish to correct.
I am strong and capable of overcoming any obstacle.
I am worthy of love and happiness.
I trust in my abilities and the path that is unfolding for me.
I choose to focus on the positive in my life.
I am surrounded by abundance and prosperity.
I am grateful for all the blessings in my life.
I am confident in my decisions and trust the choices I make.
I am in control of my thoughts and emotions.
I radiate positivity and attract positive energy into my life.
I am successful in all areas of my life.
I am grateful for my body and take care of it with love.
I release any limiting beliefs and embrace self-love.
I am surrounded by loving and supportive people.
I have the power to create my own reality.
I am grateful for my talents and abilities and use them to make a positive impact in the world.
I am open to receiving love and abundance.
I am in a state of peace and tranquility.
I am grateful for the present moment and trust in the journey of my life.
I am surrounded by opportunities for growth and success.
I trust the universe and know that everything happens for my highest good.
By looking over some affirmations you will find that in certain areas of your life you may doubt your abilities or you may feel like you are lacking. We want to eliminate negative self talk because we know we are creating obstacles for ourselves that shouldn’t exist.
Incorporate into a daily routine
Find a morning routine to start your day and repeat them with a clear mind to start your day or use them throughout the day
Repeat them out loud or write them down
Visualize what you are affirming, add the emotion of what it feels like
Be consistent with it since it is a process, you need to recondition your mind state that may have been plagued with negative self talk. Work on it slowly
Be patient with yourself, I felt at one point that it wasn’t working and doubted the process. My negative self talk was trying to kill my positive routine. Work through it and find peace in the process.
Lack of motivation can hit you but you have to power through. Imagine starting off a task you have with affirming its success, your energy will guide you in the best possible way
Self-compassion and forgiveness are crucial. Your negative thought patterns can make you feel down once recognized. It’s ok, lets just replace it.
Lifelong Journey
Positive Affirmations are your friend on this lifelong journey. Use the power of positive self talk, visualization and belief in yourself. Don’t let negative talk dominate your life. It’s ok if you have these thoughts, just counter them with your love and positivity.
Pick a few affirmations from above or research and find some that fit your current situation that you want to address. Start and let the wonders work for you. Become your biggest cheerleader because you deserve to be happy.
Sending love and positivity to you and your journey. Be kind to yourself and know that your worth is more than you believe. feed your soul and mind.
Meditation has always had this broad term that can leave many that are interested confused as to how to start. How long should I meditate? What kind of meditation should I attempt? How do I prepare for this?
The goal we are trying to accomplish is to begin a routine. When I first started I was an overachiever and wanted longer meditations and when I found myself busy I stopped some days from even trying. What I learned was start small and build according to your comfort level, schedule and develop this habit.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is a mental exercise for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. There are many ways to approach meditation through concentration on breathing, repeating mantras, guided meditations, or just sitting with your self silently. The approaches vary but you can find something that suits your curiousity.
How Should I Start?
There are really no right or wrong answers to this question. Exploration is great when it comes to finding your happy routine. I know I explored a bit and found myself overloaded with different styles and watching many videos. The goal though is to actually try to meditate. I would start small such as this 5 min guided meditation below to become comfortable with the process. Give it a shot.
What Should I Consider When Starting?
Choose a time: this is a great way to space out your day and find a time of day like the morning when you wake up to start your practice. Start to develop a positive habit
Find a comfortable place: use a chair, sit on the floor or go outside. Just make sure you feel good and relaxed in your space
Be consistent: the reason for choosing a 5 minute meditation to begin with was on purpose. We want to get into a positive routine you can follow daily and empower your energy. Don’t give up
Be patient: our minds wander and sometimes meditation feels like it may not work. Meditation takes time so be patient with the practice and embrace each day as a new start
What Are The Benefits of Meditation?
Improve focus and concentration
helps improve your focus on your job, relationships and activities you love
Reduce stress
lower your stress levels and relax your body to prevent anxiety or reduce anxiety if it does occur
Increase self awareness
become more in tune with your daily thoughts and emotions. Notice how you can change the direction of your awareness with training
Greater inner peace and happiness
by reducing our negative emotions and creating a positive powerful routine, our well being will be bolstered. Be proud of your momentum
Improve physical health
lower your blood pressure by calming your mind and body, reduce your stress which can manifest into physical problems if not addressed, feel better about yourself
Be Proactive
The goal of AfterImeditate is to meditate and do an activity you love or explore something you might love to do. Let’s meditate and use that fresh energy and be the creators we are meant to be.
Breathing is such a staple in my life because of its underrated benefits in a chaotic world.
When my father was diagnosed with lung disease I became obsessed with learning more about how our lungs can improve and what the benefits of breathing daily really involved.
I had a morning routine that involved deep breathing using an alternate nostril technique that I love. Thats when I sought our various styles of breathing routines and the more I found, the more the foundation was set on just taking slow deep breaths and exhaling over a period of time
What are some key benefits of breathing deeply and creating a routine?
Reduce Anxiety100%100%
Better Physical Performance100%100%
Increase Oxygen to Body and Brain100%100%
Provide Calm and Clarity100%100%
Why Is it So Important
Breathing is underestimated because it is an act we do everyday of our lives unconsciously. Sometimes it is taken for granted because once you experience the benefits of a good session, you will fall in love with how it makes you feel.
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as deep breathing, is such a powerful practice that involves breathing deep into your diaphragm rather than how we usually breath just into our chest. This is really important because of the problems of shallow breathing.
When we get stressed, nervous or anxious our breath tends to get shallow and faster. That can heighten your anxiety and make you more tense. The “fight or flight” response in humans is activated and your body responds to distress and increases its heart rate, blood pressure and even tenseness in muscles.
Deep slow breathing can create a calm and relaxing response to your body acting in this “fight or flight” stage. The body and mind can now get into a relaxed state instead of intensifying anxiety or making blood pressure worse. I witnessed this with my father’s lung disease.
He had many bouts with moments of feeling he couldn’t breathe. His pulse oximeter would show his levels drop fast and he would panic. His body would respond with danger on his mind and his anxiety would create panic. Being his caregiver, I would sit there with him and get him to slowly breathe deep and relax his mind and his body would follow.
My father was such a believer in these techniques and said he was grateful to me for getting him out of that scary state. All I did was be calm and remind him to breathe. That’s when I knew the importance of breathing can be lifesaving.
Deep breathing also allowed him to maximize his lung capacity. He only had 17% of his lungs functioning since he had COPD and Pulmonary Fibrosis so we had to make sure we got the most of his working lungs.
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is a great start to experimenting with breathing and its benefits.
The video above walks you through a routine that involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breathe for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. Very calming and easy to follow. Explore and watch your body react .
This is one of many techniques we will explore but I found this to be very friendly to newcomers and you can definitely feel an improvement in calming your body and mind. Relaxation can be controlled and improved as long as we try and work on ourselves.
Breathe and Do Your Favorite Activity
The purpose of this website is to get you to meditate or do breathing routine and then do something you love. The main reason: to put great free energy in a happy state. Stress lingers and catches up with us. Get in control and revitalize your energy levels
Go and try out the 4-7-8 breathing routine and keep your momentum moving forward. Each day we can do something for our mental health and be proud of you taking a positive step for yourself. Don’t doubt yourself, enjoy your energy.
Welcome to AfterIMeditate – the ultimate destination for self-discovery and happiness!
Here, we’ll be diving into the world of meditation and how it can help you unlock your full potential. By combining the power of meditation with doing things you love, you’ll be able to skyrocket your happiness and tackle those pesky daily stresses with ease.
Meditation + Doing What You Love = The Ultimate Positive Mental Health Formula
After I Meditate
We’ll be exploring all sorts of fun and interesting topics on this website, like:
1. Meditation – from the basics to advanced techniques, we’ve got you covered!
2. Breathing routines – learn how to breathe like a pro and say goodbye to stress
3. Discover your passions – learn how to turn your hobbies into a way of life
4. Finding new skills and courses – expand your horizons and explore ideas
5. Therapy – speak with professionals can change your life for the better
I created this website because I’m passionate about meditation and how it changed my life.
It helped me out of some dark times and gave me the tools to calm my mind. I know how overwhelming life can get sometimes, and I want to share my knowledge and help others in the same way.
Breathing routines are a game-changer too! They’re so simple but incredibly effective when it comes to stress relief. We’ll be sharing some of our favourite techniques that you can start using today.
We’ll be adding new content all the time, so make sure to check back often! Remember, knowledge is power, and the more we learn and challenge ourselves, the happier we become.
Let’s start this journey together and make the most out of life!
As we navigate through the daily stresses of life, sometimes we encounter the unexpected. My mother passed away a couple of months ago and I was at a loss and grief definitely set in.
Overwhelming emotions hit like a tidal wave. I had a great relationship with my mom and I was at a loss for words. Emotional tension became present as to how to approach such a huge loss in my life.
What Is Grief?
Grief is a deep sorrow that is seen when someone passes away. In order for me to process I needed to understand what I was going through. My father passed away 3 years previously and I felt I had made good progress dealing with his loss. Now my mother passes and I felt like I was heading backwards. What is it going to take for me to have peace in my life?
Grief sometimes is accompanied by guilt, anger, regret, blame and many other negative thoughts. The key for me was to identify what really was at the core of my feelings. I had to find out what really was bothering me and then reasoning with myself and others to build on positivity.
I had anger present and it bothered me. Here are some things I identified:
I was angry she passed
I was hurt that we didn’t get to do the things we planned
I was sad I missed on chances to spend more time with her
I was frustrated as to why such a good person was taken from my life
I was depressed that my mother, father and grandmother were gone and I really miss them
Write It Out
As you see above, I had to really identify what I was thinking. It hits different when you think these things, but actually seeing them on paper makes you question why you feel that way.
One key discovery I found was that the better I was able to point out what was on my mind, the better the advice was from friends and family. For example, I have a beautiful girlfriend that was really able to address each point with wise advice. It helped because it was targeted to what I was encountering at the time.
Writing is also a great form of expression and I relied on doing things I loved to express self. Be true to you and channel your emotions in your art, hobbies, passions and experiences.
Meditate/Pray
Meditation is the foundation of this website. I found peace in meditating during the most difficult times in my life. The goal I had in mind was to reduce suffering that is self inflicted. We make our minds feel what we tell it. Why not tell it to be at peace during such a difficult time. The key is to try. The feelings are overwhelming and being happy is easier said than done. However, many people don’t even try and this is for you.
You owe it to you and the ones you’ve lost in your life to fight and be a better version of self. Start a small meditation routine that can include you just sitting quietly with yourself for 10 minutes. Find the stillness within you and breathe for it is the life force we were blessed to have.
Pray. Find peace in your religion. Prayer is at the core of many people’s lives. Prayer provides love, peace, reflection and connection. I found my faith get stronger as I reflected and meditated. I am Catholic and prayer had been an on and off practice for me. I found as I reconnected I saw the power of God in my life and the beauty this world has to offer. Find what you connect with and Pray if that makes you comfortable. The key is seek peace in your spiritual/religious journey.
Gratitude
The one thing that death has taught me is how many times we forget how grateful we should be in our daily lives. Appreciation should be a daily routine. What a gift we have to impact others, enjoy our lives and love.
I began practicing gratitude everyday by creating a morning routine where I list 3 people or things I am grateful for and repeating that at night. Takes little time but has a profound impact.
I am grateful for my niece, my girlfriend, my brothers, my loved ones, my music talent, my future, my home, and my life. These are just some examples of how to get started.
Be Proud of Starting Your Journey!
Just start and explore. Be kind to yourself and don’t judge yourself. Begin and find a comfortable routine that takes you out of your comfort zone and begins your quest for peace and happiness. Small steps towards better days.
In 2017, my father was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis and Pulmonary Hypertension. His lungs were functioning at a 20% capacity, and he was terminally Ill. Things would not get better. At this moment he told me that all he wished for was the ability to breathe.
Years before this, I adopted a breathing routine that I would do every morning and many times my father would walk by my room and smile knowing I was repairing my lungs and working towards a healthy lifestyle.
As the UCLA lung specialists searched for better ways to help his severe condition, they always recommended breathing techniques that could ease the pain.
My dad looked at me and said, “you are good at this; you have a gift.” I found it my mission to help him in whatever way possible.
Why Breathing Changed My Life
Growing up I was a very anxious kid; always overthinking everything. I was an honors student and I attributed that to my constant anxiety of wondering “did I study enough?”
Many of us deal with anxiety on various levels and while mine was controlled, it still felt like a problem that needed to be addressed. I always wondered what it would be like to just enjoy life without that constant reminder of something wrong.
Family issues, heartbreak, tough times and many other variables brought on more stress that didn’t help my scenario. What could help me change my mentality?
Confused On How To Start?
I graduated college in 2004 and in 2007 I had the pleasure to travel to India for 3 months. It was my first time as an adult in a foreign country with a new perspective. I decided I wanted to enjoy without a worry in the world, being in a whole unfamiliar environment.
Step 1: Just decide you want to do something different
Overthinking just kills action. My friend advised me to just start with a simple practice of breathing. He showed me a technique he learned from his culture called Pranayama. This technique involved breathing in through one nostril and pumping your stomach in and out and then releasing the breath through the opposite nostril.
I first saw it as intimidating, but I realized that there was a whole other world on breathing. I had never seen anything like it. It looked fun and the benefits were amazing. He told me to start slow and just believe in it as a positive practice.
Step 2: Understand why your breath is important
As I began to understand more techniques there was a main idea that kept popping up: why were we never taught to properly breath and use it as a positive force in our lives?
What does proper breathing look like? What can we do to improve our lung function?
Here are some core reasons I fell in love with its importance:
Can help provide mental clarity
Help reduce stress levels
Aid your digestion
Stabilizing blood pressure
Slowing down heart rate
I began doing the Pranayama technique for 30 minutes/day every morning for over 15 years and fell in love with its benefits. I felt a clear mind, my anxiety was not at the forefront, and I felt happy. I started to laugh and think: did oxygen just make me feel better? Was all that was needed was breathing?
As my father dealt with his lung condition, he inspired me to share what I learned. He dealt with many terrible days of always needing 10L of oxygen constantly on. When we did some rehab exercises, he noticed a calmness that came from just breathing and trying to control our minds from feeling nervous.
Just breathe became our mantra, no matter how severe a scenario became.
How does meditation figure into this?
Many mornings after breathing, I would read to start my day. The books I chose had to do with spiritual growth, meditation and calming the mind. I started to feel as if my breathing routine was a form of meditation, and there was a correlation: eyes closed breathing can inspire meditation.
Many meditation routines begin with focusing on slowing down your breath and focusing on just inhaling and exhaling to relax. That is when I really wanted to pair my breathing routine with a meditation routine.
Start With Simplicity!
When I thought of meditation I did not know if I would succeed. My overthinking led me to believe that I did not have time for it and that I do not think I can quiet my mind. What is the point. I finally told myself that it was time to change that mentality.
JUST START SOMEWHERE
The key is to just familiarize yourself with the process. Meditation at its core can be simple. I started with this routine:
Sit in a comfortable spot: in a chair or on the floor
Close your eyes
Inhale slowly and deep then exhale slowly. Do this 30 times
As you do this, envision oxygen flowing to all parts of your body
On the last breath just sit there and keep your eyes closed for 10 minutes
The purpose of this process is to just get comfortable with your own breath and silence. In this world we are constantly distracted and never take time to sit still with ourselves. It is a great start to just notice what we think about when we are trying to relax.
Do not judge yourself and just enjoy getting started.
AfterIMeditate was created to help you learn about the power of positive routines in our life. Let us start with some basics and have fun. Our mission is to improve our mental health and be happy about ourselves by doing things we love.
In future articles we will look at meditation and breathing in depth and find ways to improve our lives.
