Welcome to MY blog Kazedou

Anxiety is something that seems to affect just about every woman at one point or another, regardless of their life situation, stress levels, etc. Women are two to three times more likely to develop Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) than men are. Shocker, right? Whether it is something that arises at work, when you are at home alone thinking about things, or when you are in social situations, meditation and breathing techniques may be helpful in quieting your mind and calming you down.
I’ll be honest – meditation is not something that comes easily to me. I have a non-stop mind; it takes me hours to fall asleep even with sleeping pills and every little thought spirals into something from a million years ago and it is so damn frustrating. Sometimes I sit down to meditate and things won’t stop popping in my head and I’m opening my eye every other minute to look around and feel bored out of my mind when it has only been two minutes. Other times, I fall into such deep meditations that I can’t even lift my head up. I think one of the misconceptions about meditation is that you expect your mind to clear completely and to feel completely at peace. This happens, it really does, but it takes practice, and it isn’t going to happen every single time you meditate, whether you are doing it every single day or every other month.
If you are just beginning, I recommend setting aside just ten minutes. I prefer to do it in the morning before starting my day to get me in a good state of mind, or at the end of the day to release any stress or tension I may have picked up on throughout the day. I always start out by puting on relaxing music to get myself in the right state of mind. I like to sit in the same place every time, but you can sit or lay anywhere that you are comfortable. Close your eyes and take a few moments to focus on your breathing, the feeling of your chest rising and falling with each breath, as it begins to steady and deepen. Your mind may wander, which is okay, but try to bring it back to your breathing. I found that focusing solely on my breathing the first few times I meditated is what helped me learn to clear my mind, but you may find something else works for you, such as keeping your eyes open and staring at the flame of a candle, or laying down in bed listening to relaxing music.
You can also choose to listen to a guided meditation. I have two apps on my phone called “Take a Break!” and “Relax & Rest”, which are helpful if you can’t get yourself to do it on your own, or if you are out somewhere, such as on public transportation, and need to calm yourself down a bit. I also think focusing on deep breathing can be incredibly helpful when you are out in a stressful situation where you can’t get away. When I get anxiety in large crowds, I always take a few moments to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths which helps to calm my nerves.
Meditation may not be something that appeals to you, but I believe everyone can benefit from it. It is easy to say “I don’t have enough time!” but I think everyone can spare ten minutes a day for the sake of mental health. Meditation has dramatically improved my life, and I think it can improve yours, too!