You have a Superpower, but you got to train it
What if I told you that you could be granted a superpower that would enable you to control your emotions, increase the quality of your relationships, decrease the impact of unavoidable daily stress and alleviate the detrimental impacts of most mental health issues? Sounds too good to be true? It's not, and the fact of the matter is this superpower and the means to embody its benefits has been around hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. As mentioned in previous posts, the mindfulness revolution has been gaining traction for the last decade and a burgeoning amount of research has and is demonstrating the undeniable effects of a mindfulness practice on the brain (increased brain matter, synaptic efficiency, etc.) and an individual's integrative health. The problem is that this superpower is not bestowed by way of radioactive spider bites or supernatural lighting bolts; gaining this superpower requires effort and a daily commitment to meditation/contemplative practice. Just like Bruce Wayne could not have become Batman without the early childhood trauma and the training, meditation is most effectively used when learned through a daily commitment to manage stress, negative thought and augment self awareness. I offer meditation to all my clients and am a firm believer that there is a type of mediation out there for everyone. Finding a framework for mediation that works for you (guided vs. unguided, mantra driven, visualization focused, breathing patterns, etc.) can take time and can be frustrating but the pay off is a superpower that can unlock a potential for contentment and balance otherwise unknown AND there are no side effects. Meditation has not escaped the Smartphone App movement and the three I recommend are:
Headspace: Great design, easy to use, 10 minutes for 10 days beginner option.
Insight Timer: Simple timed and guided options, community driven.
10% Happier: Free and Fee options, various styles of meditation guided by the world renowned scholars, experts and practitioners.
** I am attaching a great short animated video discussing mindfulness as a super power that is narrated by Dan Harris, the founder of 10% Happier who personally has a power story about how mediation has changed his life (give it a google or listen to his podcast on Joe Rogan's show). As always, take care of yourself!
TM