Meditation Story

I Should Have Calmed My Mind Instead of Changing My Environment

By Emma J.

For years, I struggled with sleep. My mind would race as I lay in bed, and it usually took me over an hour to finally fall asleep. This lack of sleep affected my work, focus, and mood, so I tried different things to fix it.
Some changes I made included:

  • Drinking warm milk before bed
  • Keeping my room dark by turning off all the lights
  • Limiting screen time (phone, tablet, TV) in bed
  • Sticking to a regular bedtime routine

These adjustments helped a little, but they didn’t solve the root problem.
It wasn’t until I started meditating that I realized my issue wasn’t physical—it was mental. I had been trying to change my environment to make my body more comfortable, but what I really needed to do was quiet my wandering mind.
My thoughts were taking me to unhealthy places:

  • Regret: “I shouldn’t have said that to him today.”
  • Self-doubt: “What does he think of me?”
  • Fantasizing: “I wish I could go back in time and change that.”
  • Low self-esteem: “I should’ve said something different.”
  • Pride: “I nailed that line I told my boss today.”
  • Complaints: “Wow, she was so arrogant!”
  • Anger: “How could she say that to me in front of everyone?”

I’m sure I’m not the only one kept awake by thoughts like these. But through meditation, I was able to clear away this mental fog. Over time, as I let go of these thoughts, I found myself falling asleep more easily. Now, I fall asleep almost instantly, and I couldn’t have done this without meditation. Thank you!

 

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