Have you ever had the urge to move, like you have something inside of your body, maybe energy, maybe adrenaline – but whatever the case you can’t sit still. 

When I get like that, what I need is to let go of that stress and anxiety and to clear my mind, focus on the present moment and bring calmness to my mind and body. Sometimes what I wanted in those moments WAS the ability to sit still. To be able to just find some peace and quiet. So the obvious next step was to try what everyone was recommend – yoga and meditation! 

The thing is, that first time I sat down to meditate, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t sit still, I kept fidgeting because I couldn’t get comfortable. I was so focused on trying to meditate and how it was “supposed” to be done in the right way, that the action of doing that itself actually caused me to stress out more, I felt like a failure and it affected my mental state – not for the better. 

Now, I love meditating, and I am able to find stillness. I am able to sit with myself without the need of trying to be perfect. But it took a lot of practice, and in the beginning I was finding ways to meditate that brought me the same effects, but that were creative/different and allowed me to channel my energy in other ways. Even now, sometimes I need to do a yoga flow and flow through movement, moving and sifting my energy until I am able to find balance with it. THEN, after than is when I do meditation. 

But if you’re curious about those creative, mindful alternatives to meditation then you are in the right spot! 

In my opinion, everyone would benefit from meditating. But not everyone enjoys doing it the same way, because of the inability to sit still for whatever their reason. I’ve had so many people tell me they can’t meditate because they would not be able to sit and not think about anything. I know the struggle.

1. 👉🏼 Dancing
2. 👉🏼 Walking
3. 👉🏼 Cleaning
4. 👉🏼 Cooking 
5. 👉🏼 Baking
6. 👉🏼 Listening to music
7. 👉🏼 Coloring
8. 👉🏼 Creative Arts
9. 👉🏼 Conscious breathing 
10. 👉🏼 Being in Nature
11. 👉🏼 Tai Chi
12. 👉🏼 Yoga 
13. 👉🏼 Swimming 
14. 👉🏼 Hiking 
15. 👉🏼 Running
16. 👉🏼 Surfing
17. 👉🏼 Guided meditations

The point is – meditation can look different for everyone. Aspects of meditation, such as mindfulness and awareness of your body, mind and breath, can add depth to your yoga practice and your life. Research over years has shown that mindfulness meditation can help with focus, emotional reactivity, and stress reduction. 

One of the best ways is to start with mindfulness which gives a lot of the same results as meditation. and these 👆🏼 are some of my favorite ways to do this. The thing most people don’t realize is you can be mindful, present and practice awareness in other ways to get some of the same benefits.

So pick one and start! Maybe even today 🙌🏼