I’ll think about it tomorrow

I’m naturally lazy, so I’m basically always in a state of unwind. You’ll rarely hear me say things like, “I had a hard time falling asleep last night.” You’re more likely to hear me say, “Is it too early to put on pajamas?”

I’m not just lazy. I’m also anxious, moderately paranoid and generally in a state of low-grade panic. For these reasons, I hike and I meditate.

My doctor recommended I start meditating a few years ago. At first, meditating gave me more anxiety. I couldn’t do it without getting distracted and my short attention span frustrated me. I chalked meditation up as a waste of time. But eventually I learned that it was okay (and expected) for my mind to wander during meditation. In fact, distractions are welcome. Distractions aren’t trying to keep you from feeling sane or whole. Distractions are reminders that you are caring.

But over-caring (for others or for what others may think) can be harmful to the self so here’s what I do if I get distracted during meditation:

• acknowledge distraction
• pretend I’m Scarlet O’Hara
• say, “I’ll think about it tomorrow”
• go back to breathing.

I learned that inhaling through my nose for a couple or more seconds can be enough. In that short time, even if I got distracted, I still was able to create a moment of “blank space” for myself. That’s meditating. That’s it.

I listen to the meditations on my Apple fitness app and the ones on Netflix. There is a decent variety of ad-free meditations that help set me at ease on stressful days.

I also hike, but you probably already know that. Hiking is a big part of the Rockford Fringe and we lead free hikes every week. We usually hike for three miles through the woods and alongside prairies. It’s spring so there are all kinds of birds, wildflowers and mushrooms to see on our hikes. They’re a lot of fun and everyone is welcome as long as they RSVP. For safety reasons, we don’t hike with people who just “show up.”

Click here to RSVP for a hike-n-share. Thanks for reading! -Connie

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