How I used meditation to master difficult emotions

 

This is a guest blog post by Harper Reid.

I’d been a sceptic about meditation all my life. However, I’m now a firm believer that meditation is the ideal way to master difficult emotions. But why?

Well, a while back, I was under a significant amount of stress. This was mainly work related, as I had been taking on far too many tasks. It greatly affected not only my work life but my personal life. I wasn’t sleeping enough, and I barely had time to rest or do anything unrelated to work or basic chores at home. I had constant anxiety, and was prone to anger that seemed to come out of nowhere.

The concept of meditation to deal with stress wasn’t new to me. I had friends who swore by their mindfulness methods, insisting that they worked for all sorts of situations. However, I wasn’t so sure. How could simply breathing and clearing my thoughts help me emotionally? Surely I needed something a little stronger.

One night, feeling fed up, I approached one of these friends. She’s one of those people who always seems to be in good spirits, even during times of immense stress. She advised me to start by spending just ten minutes each evening focusing on my thoughts. Surprise – it did work. Meditation helped me relax and release my anger and anxiety. Here are the basic steps I followed.

I started slow, as my friend had suggested

At the end of each day, although I was so exhausted I could barely stay awake, I set aside time for meditation. I sat on my bed, closed my eyes, and just focused on my breathing for ten minutes. The first time was difficult, but after a few days, it became easier. I found that for a short while after doing this, I felt a little more at ease with myself and my problems.

Looking for a breathing technique?

You could try the Wim Hof power breath

I thought about my problems – and tried to let them go

Reaching out to my friend for extra guidance, she gave me a new task. This time, I had to focus on my problems. While meditating, I actively considered each of my issues. I then visualised myself letting them go.

The next day at work, I still had the same problems, but I already felt better able to cope with them. I resolved to keep at it.

I faced my emotions

Ignoring your emotions isn’t going to go very well for you. They’re likely to pop up again later, and hit you twice as hard. My friend suggested I think about how I was feeling, and why. I then had to let myself feel these emotions, and, like I did with my problems, visualise letting them go.

What works for one person to the next varies. However, there are a few tried-and-tested ways to meditate and help you deal with your emotions.

Accept your fate

When you’re feeling stressed, sit up straight, close your eyes, and breathe slowly. Repeat a mantra to yourself. Something like ‘it is what it is’ works for many people.

Confront your emotions

It’s easy to run and hide when you feel stressed. However, you’ll be doing yourself a favour if you confront your emotions head-on. In this meditation, tell yourself that you’ll be okay, no matter what happens. Remind yourself that you have the strength to deal with whatever happens in your life.

Find a mantra that suits you, and be prepared to deal with your emotions. Try to commit to at least ten minutes each day, and gradually increase the time you spend meditating. Meditation is a deeply personal practice, but once you find what works for you, you’ll never look back.

Looking for a mantra?

I found this article useful Find Your Word — Your Personal Mantra

Written by Harper Reid

Author Bio

I’m Harper, a creative writer from Auckland, New Zealand. Criticism – even when delivered kindly – was a major roadblock to me when I first started freelancing, but, determined to learn from my mistakes and stay positive, my career soared! I’ve worked with many local blogs and sites, including Hercules Gazebo and I share my thoughts and published work on my personal blog, Harper Reid.