Plan for Meditation

Motivation: 

I want to meditate regularly for two reasons. First of all, meditation gives my mind a chance to take a break. As an intellectual who loves to study, learn new things, and ponder life's profound questions (plus I'm a student), my mind goes 100 mph all the time except when I'm sleeping. Over the years, I've learned that this kind of constant mental effort can really wear me down, leaving me exhausted and stressed. My mind needs regular breaks. Meditation is one way I can do that, as, for a few minutes, I can free my mind of structured thought and merely focus on breathing and the sensations I experience.

Secondly, I think that meditation can help improve my relationships with others by making me more mindful of the way I interact with people. If I regularly practice noticing thoughts and emotions before acting on them, as occurs during meditation, then I will instinctively do that when responding to others as well. This can save me from all sorts of grief as I will not get angry as easily and will take more time to consider each possible action or statement.

Where I'm going to meditate:

I will meditate in a quiet area with as few distractions as possible. Right now, that means my bedroom, and at home, that means the family room. I will not meditate at my desk or anywhere else that is supposed to be solely for work, and I will not meditate in front of the TV or my laptop, as they will only distract me.

When I'm going to meditate:

I will meditate every evening, not long before I go to bed. This will eliminate stresses from the day and allow my brain to slow down and relax in preparation for sleep. As a result, I should sleep more soundly and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day.