I shared in my previous post several things to do while we’re practicing social distancing or, as this coronavirus situation progresses more and more, are ordered to stay inside.

Like many others, I try to stay positive and stay occupied, but I have to admit that my mind has not been in the right place these days. I am infinitely lucky to be “self-quarantined” with my husband, who’s been as supportive and loving as always. We’ve been together every hour of the day well before this situation, so not much has changed there.

Yet, I have been quite restless lately, with the news pouring in, and worrying for our elderly parents and our families and everyone else. We keep checking in with one another and supporting each other any way we can. We also urge everyone to stay inside - the more we respect that, the sooner we can go back to our normal lives (the thought of spending the summer locked inside terrifies me).

So while we’re all doing the best we can, I wanted to share a few photos (taken weeks ago) of my absolute favorite place in the world - the ocean. I want to remember and hopefully translate the happiness and calm I felt at that moment as I was playing with the waves and “studying” the sand.

Along with these photos, I also wanted to share a few meditation tricks and apps I’ve used over the years to calm my mind. These days, we all can and should take a few minutes from our day to calm and ease our minds. ​

My husband and I began meditating years ago. I began first, as a way to resolve some issues I was having at work. I wasn't noticing a difference at first, but as I was doing it every day, after work for 10 minutes, I began to notice changes. I was feeling calmer and could handle my thoughts better. I became more positive and stopped dwelling on the things I knew I could not control. True, there were still overwhelming days or moments, but they didn’t linger for weeks like they used to.

Then my husband joined me. While our goal is to meditate daily, I have to admit that we’ve had a few slips, but as long as we get back on track, we don’t lose its benefits.

Meditation doesn't have to last for hours. We now allocate ten minutes of our day, usually in the morning to wake our minds and get ready for the day. I also recommend meditating before bed; by the time you’re done, your body and mind are so relaxed and ready to sleep that it will take you no time. And it helps with your sleep quality too.

There is this misconception that meditating is about stopping your thoughts and trying to keep them out of your head. While everyone meditates the way they see fit for themselves, at the end of the day, it is about being present in the moment and aware of your feelings and thoughts.

While at first, it was hard for me to be anything, I tried to take it day by day. In order to prevent my mind from wandering, I started focusing on the music. Every night, I'd focus on a specific sound playing and try to find it throughout the music duration - it worked. It taught me to focus and relax at the same time. I'm definitely not an expert, some days (especially recent ones), I can't seem to focus at all, but I keep doing it - as they say: “consistency is key and practice makes better”.

Here are a few meditating apps or songs I like:

• The Becoming Of Being is my absolute favorite song for meditating. I put it on for ten minutes, right before bedtime and I am slowly drifted to sleep. If I feel anxious during the day, this song, without fail, will calm me down.

The becoming of being is perfect for the technique I described above of trying to distinguish specific sounds to help with focus and relaxation. The official website has tons of information about meditation, check it here.

• Headspace (Android here). I’ve found that guided meditation doesn't work for me - I prefer music, but this app is loved by many. Guided meditation is definitely a great way to learn how to meditate if you’ve never done it before. If you’re new to Headspace, they’re now offering some free meditation to help with the stress we’re all feeling due to the coronavirus crisis - check their website here.

• 10% Happier. Like Headspace, they also offer guided meditation. Their website is packed with helpful information; make sure you check their coronavirus sanity guide page.

If you are like me and prefer music or even nature sounds (those are a great choice too), I have found on iOS tons of apps that offer those. See Sleep Pillow, DeepCalm, Relax Melodies, Relax Oriental, Relax Sounds, Relax Nature, Nature Scenes (my favorite), Calm (Android here). A great thing about most of these apps is that you can combine sounds and create whatever ambiance you desire - give them a try.

Youtube, of course, is also full of meditation music, just search for whatever you’re looking for (sleep, relaxation, and so on.)

I hope you are all well and find these tips helpful.

Have you ever tried meditating? Do you have a favorite app? Please share in the comments.

Until next time.

xoxo, ​
Em