9 Ways to Find Peace Where You Are

Everyone meditates in their own way. Some people don't resonate with sitting still and breathing, or listening to a guided meditation.  Luckily, that's not the only way to free your mind.
 To me, meditation or finding peace is:
-Anything that allows you to turn off the brain and let go of the day-to-day stressors and frustrations, if only for a little while.
-Acknowledging the thoughts that arise, but then letting them flow away without giving them the power to control your subsequent thoughts.
-Breathing deeply and coming out the other end of an activity feeling more centered and refreshed.

Here are 9 forms of meditation that help me make the bad days better and the good days the best. You preferred methods may differ! Ask yourself: what is it that makes you breathe a little deeper and let it ALL go!? That. Do more of THAT. 

1. Exercise. I enjoy hot yoga, a long bike ride or spending time on my slack line or paddle board. I hate running, so I don't do it!
2. Read, write or dream wildly in the comfort of your own journal.
3. Gratitude! What are you grateful for? Write down as many things as possible, large & small!
4. Intimacy with someone who loves and appreciates you. This allows you to take deep breaths, feel loved, free your mind, let go and focus on what really matters.
5. Play a game or watch something that interests you; decompress and take your mind off all the other things swirling around in your head.
6. Listen to music, sing and/or dance around!
7. Clean or organize your spaces, just add music!
8. Spend time outside(listen to a stream rushing by, watch the birds, feel the sun on your face or the ground against your bare feet) 
9. Be of service to someone else(help yourself in helping others!)

In a world as fast as the one in which we're living, it's important to take time out of our days to care for ourselves by doing these (or your preferred) meditative acts!