Stress Less & Accomplish More: Meditation will Change your Life
“We meditate to get good at life, not to get good at meditation”. – Emily Fletcher
I loved the book “Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance” by Emily Fletcher so much, that I also took her online course! In our high-stress, overworked lives, we think the answer to accomplishing more is to do more. But the best advantage we can give ourselves is to do less—to spend a few minutes a day giving our body and brain deep, healing rest.
Want to learn how to use 2% of your day to completely transform the other 98%? Look no further… The book is designed to serve as an introduction to three mental tools that make up the Ziva Technique: Mindfulness, Meditation and Manifesting. I loved Emily’s easy to understand explanations of the science behind how the 3Ms function as tools for high performers to improve cognitive abilities, creativity, and productivity while simultaneously reducing stress & improving overall well being.
We’ve all heard that we should be meditating, so what’s stopping you? Are you like me? Years ago I thought that meditation was a little “woo woo” but then I decided to give it a try. I attempted meditation multiple times over the past few years (with different apps, and I even purchased the Muse headband). I thought meditation was ok, but definitely didn’t understand the hype. I felt like a meditation-failure who was unable to “clear my mind”. And because I didn’t feel like I was gaining any benefit, I just didn’t make time to meditate. Meditation didn’t seem worth the effort.
It wasn’t until I tried Ziva that I realized the power of meditation. Ziva is about devoting 2% of your day to make the other 98% more amazing. The ROI on time is too good to ignore! The busier you are, the more beneficial Ziva meditation is. Ziva meditation has had a huge impact on my life– Overall, I feel much happier, less stressed, have more clarity/focus, and sleep better. Who wouldn’t want that? Another meditation benefit is a stronger immune system– which is super important to me as I continually have to manage my stress as it’s a key factor that impacts my health with Hashimoto’s disease.
I’ll admit that I’m not a perfect meditator. I’m quite consistent with my morning practice, but as I’m writing this I recognize that I want to prioritize being more consistent with my afternoon sessions. Knowing how much the consistent morning practice has benefitted me, I’m curious to experience even more benefit from consistent afternoon meditation too.
Key points that I want to share:
- Emily busts one of the biggest misconceptions we hear about meditation, specifically that you have to “clear your mind.” This is a myth! Phew! Emily explains that the mind thinks involuntarily in the same way your heart beats involuntarily. So giving your mind a command to stop thinking is as futile as giving your heart a command to stop beating. Makes sense!
- The Ziva Technique is a powerful trifecta of mindfulness, meditation and manifesting. The mindfulness portion deals with stress in the present moment. It consists of techniques to immediately draw your awareness into the present moment and helps you feel more grounded.
- Meditation gets rid of stress from the past. During meditation you drift into a fourth state of consciousness. This is where the magic happens. Your metabolic rate slows, your breathing gets a little shallower, and you drift into a rest that is 5x deeper than sleep. Your brain and body will flood with dopamine and serotonin. Ziva meditation chips away at the backlog of stresses you have accumulated in your nervous system. By de-exciting the nervous system, you give the body deep, healing rest.
- Last but not least, manifesting helps you with your dreams for the future. It’s about getting clear on your dreams, goals & desires. With this awareness, you start to make active choices to make your dreams a reality.
- It’s toxic to our health when we continue to be in a chronic state of stress from our jobs, family responsibilities, financial worries, etc. Chronic stress results in increased cortisol levels and hormone imbalances, which wreak havoc on our health. Stress leads to premature aging and chronic diseases ranging from Type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depression. (source)
- You can meditate anywhere! In fact, I’ve been known to meditate in the passenger seat of the car, on an airplane, and even in a hockey arena prior to my son’s game! Yes, I’m a hockey mom!
Meditation is not a luxury, it’s important mental hygiene. In fact, I love Emily’s analogy that just like you wouldn’t leave the house without brushing your teeth…. you shouldn’t leave the house without meditating!
Are you thinking that I just don’t have time? Think of all those minutes you waste every day on Instagram or watching Netflix… If you want to spend the time on Ziva, you will find the time. Plus, more importantly, The Ziva Technique saves you time by making you more productive.
Sharing is caring! Over the years on my journey managing autoimmune disease, I’ve learned (the hard way!) that stress management is key. Over the past year, Ziva Meditation has had a profound impact on my life… and I hope you find it helpful too!
Ziva meditation was designed for people like us– high performers with busy lives. The Z Technique (explained in the book) is a gentler version of the Ziva Technique that Emily teaches in her online course. If you’re ready to upgrade your life and decrease your stress, start with Emily’s book (the hardcover is available now, or pre-order the paperback version that’s available on Feb 18). Or if you’re ready to go deeper, click here for free access to test-drive the first three days of online training.
To thriveful living,
Xo Wendy