I Meditated Daily for a Year and Here is What Happened

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First, I am still meditating, daily and it has made me more present but also made me have more fun! I wrote a bit about my journey at the 6-month mark, found here. This has been a wonderful new habit that I have started, and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. I still know that I am a total beginner. But if I can inspire anyone to learn about meditation, I am happy to chat away about my experience! I am far from an expert on the subject but am happy to share what I have learned in this short time.

Now I do not sit properly in a chair on most days or on a mat with my legs crossed. I am pretty sure that if that had been a requirement, I would not have finished the year!

I have found a few things that have made this journey successful for me:

I am an early bird and this has been one of my particular keys to success. Are you a night owl? Any time of the day that works for you is the perfect time to do this! I wake up early and am pretty wide awake when I wake up, but I am not always ready to get out of my cozy bed, so I have found this is my best time to meditate. Also, my kids are not babies so that helps!

Another thing that has helped me going daily is my meditation app. I know apps are far from the traditional way to practice meditation but again, I do not think I would have continued without it! I love the little nuggets of wisdom that I get at the beginning of each guided meditation session, and then I love the accountability that the app gives me. I don’t think I will use it forever, but it has been a great jumping off point!

Here are a few things I have learned this year:

-Meditation is the practice of learning to live in the present moment and to have FUN while doing it!

-My mind is still so busy living in the past and the future and I have to work daily to be present.

-My kids learned meditation in elementary school and I will be forever grateful that they were exposed to this skill at such a young age.

-It is hard to be present when times are tough, when I am angry or annoyed or when I can’t sleep, which is when I need presence the most, so I have to work harder at it during those times.

-I am enjoying everyday moments, being more present, having fun and loving every minute of these new habits!

-I have learned that learning and practicing meditation and being present is a lifelong process and I can’t wait for the fulfillment and fun that it will continue to add to my life!

I’d love to hear your recommendations for reading/learning about meditating or your experiences with mediation!

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Katie Woodard
Katie has lived in Flagstaff for 22 years and grew up in North Carolina. She has 10 and 12 year old boys who are certainly an adventure! Her family is by far the most rewarding part of her life. Katie loves hiking and running in our beautiful hills, skiing, river rafting, traveling, health and clean eating (thanks to a whacky thyroid). She is also always taking small steps to clean up our environment, and she is currently learning meditation and just loves learning in general! Katie and her college roommate drove to AZ from VA after college and Katie has only left briefly but Flagstaff is her home for sure! She met her wonderful husband while river guiding in the Grand Canyon. Katie is a family photographer at www.katiewoodardphotography.com, here in Flagstaff and loves capturing the natural love and beauty in families. Her newest fun adventure is co-founding Women Empowering Northern Arizona.