Hi everyone. I'm curious to hear about your mindfulness practice, if you have one. I expect to lean on mine very heavily on my quit date and beyond. I lean on it a lot now.
Meditation is a life saver for me. I also do yoga. My routine right now is about half an hour of relaxation yoga every night around 7:30. I use the Calm app, and they have a fantastic library of soundscapes and relaxing music, so I will have a selection playing from that as I stretch everything out and do deep breathing. Sometimes, it's music. Sometimes, rain sounds. Sometimes, forest sounds. Etc, etc. I love it. After yoga, I do about ten minutes of guided meditation. I also use the Calm app for this, and I am partial to the daily meditations they have by Jeff Warren. He makes the entire concept of meditation very easy and accessible. Meditation is mental health!
I've been through a lot recently (to put it mildly) and meditation has helped me completely eliminate symptoms of anxiety. I have not had a panic attack in at least 6 months. It has helped me nearly eliminate symptoms of PTSD. Hyper-vigilance sneaks in every now and then, but I am able to step outside of it now and see it for what it is. I still get depression symptoms every now and then, but it is very easy to pull myself out. I am able to stay centered and grounded and focused on the bigger picture. It has been life changing, and I recommend it to everyone.
I am on day 129 of meditating without missing a day. When you make it about two months in, there's a "shift." Not sure how to describe it other than calling it that. It becomes very easy to sink into your meditative mindset at any moment during the day, which is great for pulling yourself out of the "hurricane" of thoughts that can sweep you up without warning. My new goal is to make it to day 240. I'd love to eventually go to a meditation retreat. With all the money I'll save from not vaping, maybe I can finally make this a reality!
Do you have a mindfulness practice? Has it helped you on your quitting journey? I'd love to hear about it. And if you have any questions, let me know!
