The path to sober living can often be a daunting one. It can get very lonely and it’s easy to feel isolated. But there is one innate power that we often forget we have control over: the power of the mind. This is activated by strengthening the power from within.
With a strong mind, anything is possible. When we feel like we are losing our battle on the road to recovery, our first instinct is to revert back to the things that once made us suffer. So, how do we beat this?
Meditation is an age-old practice that heavily promotes the idea of a stronger, more focused mind through concentrated breathing and stillness. Here are three benefits you can experience from consistent practice:
Lessens anxiety
Practicing meditation promotes stillness. Many experts reiterate the idea of taking refuge from the world within yourself. Essentially, if your mind is at peace, your outward existence is a direct manifestation of this inner peace. Sitting quietly and focusing only on your breathing creates space in the mind where peace can prosper. As a result of this, anxiety levels decrease, and you are better equipped to handle real-life situations.
The power to focus
It may seem silly at first to sit in a corner with your legs crossed, eyes closed, listening to something as mundane as your breathing. But believe it or not, this is strengthening your ability to focus. When you can focus, you are distracted less and it’s easier for you to go about your day and achieve the things you want to achieve.
Emotional stability
When our emotions are intact, we aren’t relying on them to make rational decisions for us. Emotions cloud our practical judgment. Meditation on a regular basis helps us to separate our emotions from our ability to practice pragmatic thinking.
In today’s western world, something like mediation often takes a seat on the backburner when it comes to taking care of our wellbeing. But when on the path to sober living, the things you do with your brain are often times even more important than the things we do for our bodies. Whatever battles you fight in your head will be a direct reflection of the things that happen in your waking life. We begin to fix these problems when we start from within. So go ahead: breathe deep and focus.