Here in New England the days are inching a little longer, crocus flowers are blossoming, a day or two of sunshine pops up amid the rain. To me, April simply feels a bit lighter and brighter.
April is also Stress Awareness Month. While most people are all too aware of the stressors in their lives, they are unsure how to cope/navigate the stress they face within their personal and professional lives on a daily basis.
The question is not whether you have stress, it is more about asking how to navigate the stress.
What’s the answer?
I believe meditation is a huge part of that equation. Science supports the benefits of meditation as an effective tool to navigate stress.
According to research, meditation:
- Changes what is going on in our brains
- Decreases inflammation markers in our body
- Helps to prevent burnout.
- Might even have a ripple effect on those with whom we work.
Want to learn more about meditation?
Here are some of my favorite go-to resources to help get you started:
- Skeptical? Meet Dan Harris, an ABC news journalist and self-proclaimed fidgety skeptic who has now become a public evangelist for meditation. Here he busts the three biggest misconceptions about the practice. (Not only is he super smart, he always makes me laugh.)
- How might meditation benefit you? Watch one of my favorite videos on how meditation impacts your brain and body.
- And the research mentioned in both of those videos? Well, much of that has been done right here in my backyard by the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and my favorite research rock star, Sara Lazar Ph. D. at Harvard University.
- Are you looking for more information tying this all together? The New York Times has a fantastic and in-depth guide on all things meditation. It walks you step by step through the process, answers common questions, and has a variety of free meditations to download from mindful eating to body scans, to how to meditate as you walk.
Are you wondering about how to navigate the stress in your personal and professional life?
