“The things you find the hardest are usually the lessons you need most.”

The moment something inside of us sparks a positive change, we can hardly wait to get started. We pick up books, read blogs, and talk to friends, all to learn more of what to do to incorporate positivity and peace into daily living. What I have found in my journey to self-discovery is it’s easy to read tips and tricks here and there, but it can be difficult to actually get into a routine of daily spiritual life. Some days when my alarm goes off, I just don’t want to get out of bed to meditate. Late at night, I’d rather watch a mindless television show than do inward journaling or spiritual reading. All of these hurdles seemed to change after discovering The Practice. I’ve spent the past month incorporating these four simple keys for a more peaceful existence: waking up with meditation, living present and using my sacred mantra, and letting go with reflection. I am here now to report back to you what I’ve learned.

1. Making the commitment is the biggest step. Often times we say we’re going to do something, but put it off for next week, the following Monday, or at a time when things settle down. If it’s important to you, make a commitment, set aside the proper time, even put it in your calendar, but do what you need to do so subconsciously you know it’s an important part of your life.
2. The things you find the hardest usually are the lessons you need the most. For years, literally years, I have been told to incorporate meditation into my life. My family, friends, teachers, even health practitioners, have all told me to do it. I’m stubborn, I’ve always felt I can have a spiritual life without taking thirty whole minutes out of my morning to sit around and be with myself. Well, because I made this commitment, I incorporated meditation into my life. I started slowly, five minutes per morning, but I did it. Truthfully, I can say that even five minutes makes a difference in your energy level, your mental state, and how you look at the world around you. Lesson learned, meditation matters.
3. When the going gets tough, take a breath and silently repeat your mantra. Last week, I was in a mentally and socially trying atmosphere. Lots of opinions, lots of noise. Having a mantra and focusing on my breath, helped tremendously. Even in stressful situations, it takes the focus off the negative and forces it back on the positive. And who doesn’t need more positivity in their lives?
4. Get in touch with yourself, journal, and reflect. Since we were little we were always encourage to keep a journal. Get a diary and write down your juiciest thoughts. I must have 500 little girly journals with only about 10 pages written in each because I’ve never actually followed through on using them. Daily reflection has become a really nice part of my day. I put aside a few minutes to just write down whatever comes out. How I’m feeling, what’s bothering me, whatever. It’s a great way to get it all out and let it go.

I think it’s safe to say The Practice has had a really positive effect on my life, even in such a short period of time. I’m really looking forward to seeing how things unfold as I continue to further this path. What are your thoughts? Have you incorporated The Practice into your life? What have you noticed? Let us know!

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