With Meditation, I Accomplish Just As Much As I Did Before, But Without the Self-Imposed Stress and Frustration

Marie, a 67-year-old successful businesswoman from New Jersey shares her journey through mindfulness meditation which helped her get rid of her anxiety and constant worry about the future. Her perception and well-being have undergone a significantly positive shift.  

I am Marie, a 67-year-old woman from New Jersey. Throughout my whole life, I suffered from anxiety and occasional bouts of depression. I am a successful businesswoman with three graduate degrees. I have always been an overachiever, going from one project to another without much enjoyment, living in the past and worrying needlessly about the future. I was successful but not happy. My obsessive and compulsive nature robbed me of the opportunity to live in the present. I was going through the motions without being conscious of my own life's circumstances.  

I started meditation with an open-minded attitude. Practicing meditation and mindfulness enriched my life and helped me to enjoy the here and now. 

My practice started with a sitting meditation for 30 minutes. In the beginning, it was very difficult for me — I was restless and unable to steady my mind. I was not capable of staying awake — during the first few weeks of meditation I never went beyond my thoughts, I was carried away by thoughts, and after some time fell asleep. With time, meditation became easier and I, for the first time in my life, started to observe the kind of thoughts that were coming into my head, without falling asleep. 

I decided to do meditation regularly and committed to starting my day with a short routine every morning. I no longer see it as a physical and frustrating challenge, and I am looking forward to my morning ritual. That is a major change that I observe in myself now, compared to the past.  

I have become accustomed to doing sitting meditations twice a day — fifteen minutes in the morning, and a longer session in the evening. I do both guided meditations as well as breath-mindfulness meditation (just sitting and observing my breath). I now find this practice calming and enjoyable. My anxiety has nearly disappeared, and I have not been depressed for a while. I do not worry about my children, my business, or my future. I believe I have also become a nicer person — more accepting of others and myself. I have become more open-minded and less judgmental. My life is the same, but my perception has changed. 

I go through my days paying attention to everything that is happening. I eat mindfully. I try to avoid multitasking and I do not rush through the day trying to accomplish the impossible. Ironically, I accomplished just as much as I did in the past, without the self-imposed stress and frustration I experienced before I started to meditate. 

I am very grateful for all the benefits I have received from meditation. I will continue to practice meditation and mindfulness and educate myself as much as possible to gain more benefits from my practice. I will promote meditation among my loved ones, in the hope that they too will reap the benefits.

Source

The Poalouse Training Center