T W E N T Y N I N E

MEDITATE

When we focus on things we can’t control, we increase our fight-or-flight- response in our bodies which causes your heart rate and blood pressure to rise. You become more aware and observant, and you are a little more on edge. Your body becomes tenser. You only want this system to be activated when you are in a dangerous situation that you need to escape. Otherwise, having this system could have long-term effects on your health.

 With meditation, you learn how to build a dam for your thoughts. You train your mind to completely let go of all thoughts and anxieties with enough practice. When practiced correctly, you will feel your breathing pattern become more relaxed and feel more natural. Your muscles will begin to relax, and you may not even notice your body in a deep meditative state. You will notice sounds around you, but they won’t affect you the same way you are in your normal state.

To achieve these feelings, the key is consistency. Starting out, depending on your personality, meditation is going to be very frustrating. I started with the app Headspace, which I strongly recommend paying the yearly subscription and going that route for beginners. 

Now, when I meditate, I start by counting my breaths. I count to ten and then start over. I have found that this is a great technique to use because while you are counting, this allows your brain to stay focused on something. You will still have thoughts pop up, but just acknowledge that thought and gently go back into counting your breaths.

This is how it goes: breath one is an inhale, breath two is an exhale, breath three is an inhale, and breath four is an exhale. Repeat this until you get to ten and then start over. Extend your exhale a couple of seconds longer than you normally would; really feel the inhalation and exhalation. 

After I start to relax from counting, I imagine my brain with arrows pointing down toward my body. Naturally, our brain’s arrows are pointing up and in every other direction depending on what is grabbing our attention. We are always looking outward, never inward. I do these two until I feel myself in almost a daze-like state, where I feel no pressure or signals from anywhere in my body. My body is at peace.

I know I’ve reached that state when the pressure dissipates from the front of my brain, where the prefrontal cortex is. The prefrontal cortex is involved in higher cognition, planning, organization, etc. — all things that can create anxiety and take energy. I like to maintain that state for at least 30 minutes.

Another technique used by Naval is to meditate an hour every day for 30 days. I have meditated for an hour but haven’t entirely made it 30 days in a row. I do like this technique because, with my experience, it usually takes me about 20-30 minutes to go through all my thoughts, acknowledge them and create complete silence for the remaining 30 minutes.

For the first 20-30 minutes of meditation, think of yourself as your brain’s secretary taking all the messages that the brain has. You haven’t been acknowledging these messages, but they will disappear once you mentally write down the message. I don’t think an hour of meditation is necessary unless you are hardcore. There are plenty of studies suggesting that just 15 minutes a day can bring you major benefits. 

Once you have your routine and technique down, you can start experimenting with different types of meditation. I also recently started meditating on thoughts or ideas (some for this book). Once I’m able to quiet my mind, I get some creative answers randomly throughout my meditation. It doesn’t always happen, but it is pretty cool when it does.

T H I R T Y

THE SHORT GUIDE TO 30