Meditation Mondays: Here to Stay

Did you find yourself waking up to the sound of an obnoxious alarm? Did you hit snooze every 5 minutes and pray that you get through the week? If this is you keep reading, we are going to work together and make Mondays our favorite day. Before we get started, let’s go over why Mondays are so important.

1. It is an opportunity to hit the reset button and set new goals.

2. An opportunity to lay out a foundation so that you stay organized and manage your time effectively.

3. Most importantly, so that you may check in with your emotions and meditate to clear your mind.

Between work, school, and trying to maintain a social life I am sure it can be very difficult to sit down and be with your thoughts (alone). Trust me I get it, I was there too. It is important to set your priorities straight and be sure that your mental health is at the top of the list. If you think you are too busy here are some changes you can make to manage your time more effectivly.

1. Before going to bed every night, lay out your clothes and pack your lunch.

2. Set yourself up for success and place your phone as far away from your bed as possible.

3. Give yourself 10 minutes (morning and night) to write down important task, positive affirmations, and an act of kindness.

4. Take a break from the radio and listen to podcasts instead.

P.S. If you don't have a passion planner I highly suggest you obtain one, you can find some on Amazon for $20- $30 dollars.

Write to Unwind:

If you find yourself struggling to open up and talk to others about how you are feeling, writing can be a great alternative. I’d say it is more effective; just be sure you keep it hidden. You would not want your deepest thoughts to fall in the wrong hands. The easiest way to start is by simply jotting down whatever runs through your mind, do not worry about spelling or grammar. Just start writing! Remember this is your journal, there are no rules. Be sure to create a judge free environment so that your deepest thoughts can come forward. If you can not think of anything, start by writing "I can't think of anything" eventually you will find yourself on page 5 writing about something you did not even know was bothering you. Try to write daily not just on Mondays! Once you have gotten your thoughts on paper then you can begin to assess the situation. Pay attention to keywords, but most importantly dont be afraid if it gets a little dark. Figure out the kind of help you will need and start practicing self-guided meditations!

Yoga to Unwind:

Yoga is an amazing way to wind down, if you have never tried yoga you are missing out. For starters, it is not as easy as it looks! My mother put me in dance classes at an early age, so I do have the advantage of being flexible, however I still found yoga to be a bit of a challenge.

I tried my first hot yoga class at Purple Yoga. There are two near-by locations, one in Fullerton and another in Long Beach. If you are a beginner I suggest you try easing your way into it and begin with a class that has lower temperatures. The heat will begin at a moderate level and will continue to rise throughout the session. This makes it very easy to adjust your breathing. I recommend that you bring your hydro filled with ice cold water. For those of you that are not as flexible, do not worry the facility has plenty of space blocks that you can use during certain positions if need be. Lastly Arrive early with your own yoga matt. The studio is small so parking and reserving a spot in the room can be tough!

http://www.purpleyoga.org/