| Are you stressed out? Do you worry about your | | | | on improving one's life. Not surprisingly, one |
| physical health? Your mental health? Your spiritual | | | | subject came up over and over; meditation. I had |
| health? Do you wish you had less stress and | | | | tried to meditate several years earlier but had |
| anxiety in your life and more peace and | | | | gotten frustrated and quit before really giving it a |
| harmony? | | | | chance. But, I was desperate and determined to |
| Well, I felt all of these things a few years ago and | | | | try anything that might help. |
| I thought I was going to go crazy or die. I was | | | | One book in particular said, "Start right now!" I |
| working 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week at a | | | | was too embarrassed to sit in the book store and |
| very stressful job. I had a wife and two kids at | | | | meditate, but I didn't want to waste another |
| home who wanted, and deserved, my time and | | | | moment. So I went out to my car, adjusted the |
| attention. I had a mortgage, two car notes, | | | | seat into a comfortable position, set my watch |
| tuition, medical bills, overdue taxes, and credit card | | | | alarm for 30 minutes, then closed my eyes and |
| debt coming out of my ears! | | | | started counting my breaths. |
| I was running nonstop through my days trying to | | | | That turned out to be a defining moment in my |
| take care of everything and make everybody | | | | life. Of course, I didn't have instant success. |
| happy but I never had enough time to take care | | | | Mediation takes practice and can be very difficult |
| of myself. In bed at night, my heart would pound | | | | at times. But making the decision to incorporate |
| from stress and anxiety. I worried about my job, | | | | meditation into my everyday life changed |
| my marriage, the kids, the bills, the house, my | | | | everything for me. |
| heath, and even my sanity. | | | | I continued to stop at the book store each night |
| My health was of particular concern. I felt tired all | | | | for a while and split my time between reading and |
| the time. I was gaining weight. My back was | | | | meditating. Nothing else had changed in my life. I |
| always hurting. Climbing even one flight of stairs | | | | still had a stressful job, my marriage, my kids, my |
| left me breathless and dizzy. I felt like I was falling | | | | house, and bills but, somehow, I was feeling |
| apart physically, mentally, and spiritually. | | | | better--less stressed--even more energetic! |
| I was really worried about myself but I didn't | | | | No, it didn't magically solve all of the woes in my |
| know what to do. I tried the gym, several fad | | | | life. But once I started feeling more relaxed and |
| diets, home exercise machines, and even time | | | | less stressed, I was better able to focus on the |
| management programs. I had about the same | | | | other things I needed to do to become mentally, |
| results with each new thing I tried. They all | | | | physically, and spiritually healthy. |
| seemed to help at first, but I just couldn't stick | | | | I soon started a daily meditation practice at home. |
| with any of them for very long. I now realize that | | | | I also began a reasonable exercise plan that |
| they didn't work because they were all short | | | | included walking, a light workout, and yoga. These |
| term fixes to a long term problem. I had to | | | | things combined with eating right (most of the |
| change my life. | | | | time), have literally changed my life. I'm now |
| I knew I had a lot to learn, but I couldn't afford | | | | happier, healthier, and at peace with the world |
| to buy a bunch of books and everything at the | | | | around me. |
| library seemed to be outdated. So I made a habit | | | | I hope this story inspires some of you to take |
| of stopping at the local Barns and Noble on the | | | | that first step and begin incorporating meditation |
| way home from work each day. I read | | | | into your own life. This is the perfect time to |
| everything I could find on stress, anxiety, health, | | | | make the decision. What better New Years |
| diet, and self-improvement. I felt like a cheat just | | | | resolution than to change your life for the better? |
| sitting there reading the books without buying | | | | There are numerous meditation methods and |
| them but nobody seemed to mind. I usually | | | | practices out there and a myriad of resources |
| bought a cup of coffee or tea just to ease my | | | | available to you in book stores and on the web. |
| conscience a little. | | | | I'm sure you can find something that works for |
| I read a lot of great books with wonderful insights | | | | you. |