Meditation Apps...Yay or Nay?
hello, lovelies!
Have you ever considered giving meditation a try? I’ve been curious about it for a while, as someone who is no stranger to anxiety, depression and a frequent user of the phrase “I'M FREAKING OUT HERE!”
If you can relate (and be honest with yourself okay? Seriously… we all need a little help sometimes, and that’s perfectly OKAY) then keep reading for my thoughts on using a meditation app for the first time, and what my results were.
My Experience
Honestly, I am usually pretty open-minded about trying new things when it comes to mental and physical well-being so I didn’t harbor any preconceived stigma against meditation. I have tried a couple of Meditation apps casually in the past (mostly during University when every day seemed to present a new set of anxieties and chaos), and I didn’t hate them… I just didn’t love them.
I gave up on the idea of meditation for a while, until my anxiety began to rage at the onset of the current Global Pandemic. I knew I needed to take extra steps to ensure I didn’t become a total bundle of unsettled nerves and panic, so I decided to give meditation another try. This time I set goals for myself in order to maintain the regularity of using the app and found this much more successful than only tuning in when the anxiety had already taken hold of me.
This time around, I downloaded the Headspace App, as I was gifted a free 3-month trial at Christmas, and figured I would give it a go! I’ll be honest with you all… the day my free trial ended I purchased the yearly subscription without hesitation. Not to sound dramatic, but the change in my ability to compartmentalize, and SLEEP better has drastically changed since incorporating mindfulness into my daily routine.
My Current Daily Routine (Updated 2022)
Wake-Up: 10 minutes of guided meditation (the topic changes depending on my goals for that day - I tend to favor the Creativity, Happiness, and Stress courses)
Lunch Break: 10 minutes of guided meditation (there are so many great quick, guided deep breathing sessions you can do in 5-10min sessions)
Bedtime: 45-minute Sleepcasts (calming storytelling that helps you shut your mind off and fall asleep - my fave is Rainday Antiques) - I never make it to the end of the 45-minute story… I usually fall asleep within 10 minutes.
is it Worth It?
I feel like the real question you need to ask yourself is AM I WORTH IT to which the answer is you ABSOLUTELY are. Headspace, in particular, has such a vast library of unique meditation courses that I honestly can’t see myself ever stopping. A current goal of mine is to prioritize my mental health because as I am sure we all know, setting time aside in the day for you to focus on YOU is so easily overlooked. As women, we are often trained from a young age to believe that our role in this world is to take care of others: to be a good mother FOR children, to be a good wife FOR our husband, to be a good friend FOR others… but what about us? It is so deeply ingrained in us to feel guilty, shame, or even like we are being selfish if we decide to put ourselves first, and that is a trend that needs to end NOW.
I may be a little-ol’-nobody but I am here to tell you that YOU are important. YOUR mental health is important. YOUR goals and dreams and aspirations are ALL WORTH IT.
Headspace is $89.99 CAD/year… that’s the cost of 17 Frappuccinos, 11 Big Macs, 4 New Shirts, or 2 Manicures. I’m not saying that these things won’t make you feel better. BUT what I AM saying is that they will only temporarily fill a void that runs deeper than the surface. The instant gratification may boost you up enough to get through the present moment, but when the last bite is gone, when the nail falls off, or the shirt rips, you are only left with material reminders that something isn’t right. Choose to invest in YOU, not THINGS.
Anyways… that’s enough of my opinion for one day. I hope that you found it helpful if you have also been considering adding meditation to your self-care tool kit.
I’d love to know your thoughts on meditation/meditation apps. Have you tried them? Do you love it or hate it? What are your tips, thoughts, fears, etc.?
Let me know! I’d love to chat about it together!
Yours, happily,
Kristyn xo
*This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions about the products and services mentioned are my own.