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January 27, 2026

Top Types of Meditation and The Benefits They Bring

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You most likely hear that a good way to reduce stress and anxiety is to mediate. Sounds easy, right? Well, calming the brain and the body is actually difficult until you develop good practices that will help.

But do you know that there is more than one type of meditation? In fact, there are countless forms of meditation – each of which has different goals and methods.

The question then, is which type of meditation is right for you – and how do you get started with the one you choose? This guide will help you to understand more and decide.

Mindfulness Meditation

We’ll start with this one, only because it has become so popular recently that it’s the type many people may be familiar with.

Mindfulness meditation comes from cognitive behavioral therapy – a psychotherapeutic approach in psychology. The idea here is not to empty your mind of thoughts – as it is in many other forms – but rather to try and detach yourself from those thoughts and not be affected by them. Note which thoughts float by, but don’t try to change them.

Body Scan Meditation

Closely linked to mindfulness meditation is body scan meditation – this is a form of meditation that involves focusing on each part of your body and progressively relaxing. It’s great for refreshing the brain and chilling after a hard day.

Transcendental Meditation

This is another of the more popular and well -known forms of meditation. The goal here is to clear your mind and to do so usually by focusing on a mantra (umm, omm, calm or peace), a picture, or perhaps an imaginary point in space. Doing this can help you to eventually close down areas of your brain while retaining consciousness.

Loving Kindness Meditation

Loving kindness meditation is a form of meditation that involves focusing your mind on a specific feeling – in this case love and kindness! By doing this, you will feel happier and you will become better at forgiving people. It also feels fantastic in the moment.

Kundalini Yoga Meditation

Kundalini yoga meditation is a form of moving meditation. The idea here is to move gently into different positions while focusing on controlling your breathing and staying calm and focused. The result can be highly relaxing while also improving your overall health and wellness.

Religious Meditation

Religious practitioners can engage in meditation by focusing deeply on a passage of text from their scripture, or on a prayer.

Zazen

Zazen is a form of meditation associated with Zen Buddhism. It must be taught under the leadership of an instructor and involves a number of specific steps. However, the objective is once again to focus primarily on detaching yourself from your thoughts and letting go of judgement.

To get started and be successful with meditation, here are 3 ways to help:

Find a quiet place – since the purpose of meditation is to calm your thoughts, you want a place that is free from distractions and gives you a sense of calm and peace (which you can create). It can be an area in your bedroom or living room, a porch or patio, or even outdoors. As you will be establishing regular routine, you want the space to be inviting and accessible.
Map out time and starting small – meditation is a gift you are giving yourself, so you want to set time to receive and enjoy the gift which starts with time. You can set a timer – start with 2 minutes, then work your way up to an amount of time that works for you. It might be easier to put it in your schedule, such as before you eat breakfast or before bed; using a planner or calendar will ensure you develop a routine.
Focus and relax – as the intent of meditation is to take away your thoughts but to not act on them, it will be easier in the beginning to focus on your breath sounds or a picture on the wall. There are guided meditations you can find on YouTube, SoundCloud, or buy from a retailer.
Monitor and review – it’s important to monitor how your feel after each session and, then, overall, as your meditative practices and their effects. This will give you confirmation that it is working and the benefits you are receiving. It’s important to remember that it may take up to 4 days before you feel any change in your mood, feelings, thoughts, responses. Be easy on yourself but continue with your sessions, no matter the struggle.

“As we practice meditation, we get used to stillness and eventually are able to make friends with the quietness of our sensations.” (Sharon Salzberg)

December 1, 2025

Self Motivation – A Short Guide to Goal Achievement

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Today is the beginning of a new month, and the final one before we start the new year. Hard to believe that 2026 is only four weeks away. What you may not realize is that this is a great time to finish your goals – you don’t have to put them away to start ‘fresh’ once the new year starts. Many think of resolutions when setting goals.

Unfortunately, research suggest that only 8-10% achieve those resolutions, with many abandoning their goals on what is known as ‘Quitters Day” or the second Friday of January, while 80% stop working on their goals by the second week of February. Those odds aren’t good.

So what stops people from not fulfilling the very aspects they want to improve upon?

First, using the word resolution, which means to resolve or not do something’ gives off a negative vibe which is not very motivating. Change the word to call it ‘intention,’ as this means you are committed to what you decide and with determination. That mindset alone will get you into action-mode and accomplishment.

Second, most people don’t know how to set goals or are not intentional with them. Starting with a strong determination will make the goal clearer and see what actions are needed to accomplish them.

You may have heard of SMART goals, which is one way to set goals: Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Time-Limited. All are essential but specific and time-limited are the two most important of them; if you cannot state a goal in specifics, your brain can’t come up with the steps needed and they won’t be as motivating. Putting a time-limit on when you want to achieve the goal is what will give you the momentum and accountability as you are working the steps.

But what about motivation, or the drive behind one’s actions. Let’s say you’ve set clear and compelling goals and start working them, but you seem to have hit a wall and the goal doesn’t seem so important, leaving you wanting to do nothing, even the things you love to do. Then idleness starts to take its toll and you find yourself working the goal less and less.

As a result, a new pattern emerges of not acting which brings up guilt and shame, hence letting negativity cloud your mind and effort. This is called lack of motivation and, if this situation sounds familiar, then pay attention to the following points:

Assess your present situation

Why exactly are you feeling this way? What is lacking, both in what you want to achieve and your desire for it/them? Is this because of an isolated event or due to an accumulation of factors? Are there current circumstances that you have to focus on, while trying to make changes? Regardless of the situation, you should be sure that your situation is a manifestation of incongruence between reality and your own ideas. Your job is to identify the schism first, then develop small, attainable changes which will close the gap.

Never make goals

It probably caught you by surprise because everyone else seems to scream the words ”make goals”. Instead of making goals, make choices that will cumulatively reflect your values and also desires. Try making unrealistic goals which are not compatible with your lifestyle, nor reflective to your current resources or capabilities and failure will be raring its ugly head on you. Then it becomes a predictable outcome powered by an impractical wish.

If you want the incongruence that exists between reality and dreams to slowly fade, make daily choices that will bring about the wide paradigm shift. A more uplifting way to set goals is through the method of Everest Goals, where you start with the goal being achieved and then work backwards in how to achieve them; this method, based on those who actually climbed Mt. Everest, opens the brain up to finding solutions that will make your goals a reality.

Create room for the bad

We all have strengths and weaknesses and, sometimes, what we try to avoid ends up getting the best of us. Rather than being deceived on the idea of eliminating the bad instantly, focus on doing the good first before the bad can come last. What this means is to allow yourself space that your drive may ebb and wane at times which can take the pressure off of having to constantly achieve to prevent any guilty feelings that may arise. If one day you wind up eating that piece of cake, just determine to get back to the goal the next day.

Change is not easy and you may find resistance but, with a positive mindset and seeing the outcome of the goal, along with the benefits you will get by having that outcome, you can diminish and then overcome any resistance you may find and your motivation will return stronger than before.

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.”

(Steve Maraboli)

October 15, 2025

How To Turn Inner Peace Into a Habit

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Does this sound familiar? You feel at a point where your life is embattled with chaos, both externally and internally. You’re overrun with negative emotions, busy overthinking as you try to juggle your hectic schedule and all the other stress life has landed on your doorstep. The current events taking place, all over the world, seem to have a negative effect on you. Work and life are out of ‘balance,’ or you’re worried or unhappy about your job, unsure of what to do next.

We all know how draining it can be – life is overwhelming! Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes you feel helpless. Sometimes it seems as though inner peace is an impossibility.

Dispel those fears right now because I want to provide you with the practices necessary to turn inner peace into a habit. In no time, it will just be another part of your day. Except this is one you’ll look forward to because with it comes serenity. Inner peace is the state of being stable and calm, while serenity involves the practice and quality to achieve this.

Here are daily practices you can start with today:

Release Control

There is only one thing you have control over in this world and it’s you. You control your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. That’s it – not external circumstances, not other people. The only thing you control in those situations is how you respond. It is far more beneficial to your inner peace and happiness to recognize, understand, and remember this. The best thing you can do is let go and focus on you.

Unconditional Living

Does your mood depend on the conditions in your environment? Your mood is high as you walk into work because you caught every green light on your commute. Your mood is low as you walk into work because you caught every red light on your commute. Your children misbehaved and it tipped you over the edge. Your children did their chores and it dragged you back from the edge.

Do you see the problem? You’re allowing yourself to live conditionally. You are being led by your environment and the behavior of others.

What does it all mean? If you want to find inner peace you have to stop expending your emotional energy on the conditions around you. Unconditional living simply means that you won’t let the conditions of your life influence how you feel.

Directed Focus

This is perhaps the most powerful aspect of turning inner peace into a habit. Think of focus as a gift from the universe. It’s something that will help build your appreciation of it, considering how often you need to focus. This walks hand-in-hand with the previous point. When you choose to live unconditionally you are shifting your focus from circumstance to self. While you will still be aware of what’s going on around you, you aren’t going to focus on all of that noise. You’re only going to focus on creating the reality you want to live in.

Don’t People Please

There are two reasons we tend to go out of our way to please others. The first is that we get satisfaction from being helpful. It gives you a little buzz. The second is we are too scared to say no and disappoint someone. The truth of the matter, though, is that people-pleasing just causes resentment, it stresses you out, and you get so busy pouring everything out into others you forget to refill your cup.

You can still help others, but don’t break yourself at the expense of others. Set your boundaries today; “no” is a sentence.

These techniques will need consistency with daily practice so they become a long-lasting habit, one that make you mindful of all that surrounds you and brings you the inner peace that can help you get through any stressful situation you encounter.

The road that you walk to find inner peace will be an exciting journey. You will uncover many truths about yourself, as well as finding out how to handle stressful situations that life throws at you.

It’s about believing that everything will work out for you, even if it might not feel or look like it.

February 26, 2025

Resilience: Finding Resolve During Tough Times

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We are at the end of another month – hard to believe how time is going quickly. I hope that the new year is treating you well, and that you are taking advantage of any and all opportunities that come your way. You may have to look for them or be open to receiving them; we can sometimes put a ‘blind eye’ to situations that seem scary.

With so many changes taking place these days, things can seem scary. But, it’s how you choose to look at them that will stop the fear from change that may be holding you back, whether that is emotionally or due to some other circumstance (finances, other people, laws, etc.). How do you push through and find your resolve – the strength and mindset to take action, despite any doubt or fear. This builds resiliency, or the ability to get back up and adapt to setbacks or life changes. Stuff will happen but not allowing them to stop you is what is needed.

If you have ever faced a challenge that you said, “I can’t do this or make it through” but you are still standing today, you have built your resilience. The important key is to go back and review how you made it through when you thought you wouldn’t’ – how did you solve the problem; did you worry about time, finances, legalities, and the like; did you lean on other people or resources for help. I think most people don’t really look at their hard – or traumatic – circumstance to see that they have survived and made it through.

Resolve is relying on your skills and abilities to determine how you will overcome any challenge while resiliency keeps you going. It’s a mindset that you will not be stopped until the desired outcome is reached; this helps you face the next challenge and the next. You will have the ability to think more clearly, to feel in control, and have good coping strategies that can help you emotionally. You will see the strong person you are, who can push through and survive any challenge or adverse situation you come across.

See yourself as the strong person and rely on your abilities; see setbacks as challenges rather than barriers; reframe negative thinking to more positive ones; use self-talk to uplift and motivate you (“you/I can do this…”); develop your ‘toolbox’ of coping strategies so you have them when needed, and use them often so they become good habits; praise and appreciate yourself for making it through. These help to develop and affirm your resolve so you remain resilient. Know that you are in control and not the other way around.

The key to life is resilience…We will always be knocked down.

It’s the getting up that counts. (Dominique Browning)

February 19, 2025

Having Courage – The Way to Do Anything

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Having courage is the way to do anything you want. Sounds easy, right? If having courage were easy, failure would not come in to play, as people would just do whatever task they want. Their goals would be a natural occurrence, and done quickly, as people would not hesitate or not move forward.

But, we know this is just an idle dream as people do hesitate, they don’t go after their desires, and they do fail. The question arises as to why there are some people who do fail but can get back up and try again. Think of The Wright Brothers or Walt Disney whose brilliant ideas didn’t work out…. until they did.

They, and many others like them, had the courage to try and try again, and again. Despite public outcry and judgements, these brave souls displayed courage to move forward despite what criticisms they faced.

We – you – need to have this same mentality to achieve your goals and dreams. But, what exactly does the word courage mean and how does one get it?

Courage is one’s ability to confront pain, fear, uncertainty, intimidation

or danger. There are different types of courage, which may range from

endurance and physical strength to mental stamina and innovation, which can be distinguished between physical and moral courage.

Physical courage involves having the courage when facing hardship, physical pain, the threat of death or death itself. Think of those in battle or pushing through after being laid off from a job.

Moral Courage is the ability of a person to act rightly when facing popular opposition, scandal, discouragement or shame. This one is very difficult for some people as they don’t want to ‘make waves,’ stand out, or go against popular opinion.

So what does separate those who act courageously versus those who don’t:

Feeling fearful but taking action despite it
Following your heart, i.e. passions
Standing up for what is right

These have all been briefly discussed earlier, so how does one become courageous?

Mindset plays the biggest part – you have to know your strengths and abilities and think/believe you can achieve. Knowing your strong-suits will give you more trust in yourself for you to rely on them; look at what you are known for, such as problem-solving, strategizing a goal, or it could be your sunny disposition. Knowing our strengths will get us through.

Believe – a part of mindset are beliefs which become fundamental and hard to change. Thoughts turn to actions which turn to beliefs. The more you think positively and think you can, then take some sort of action, the more you will believe you can do and achieve your desires. Daily, write down all your accomplishments, no matter how big or small. What did it take for you to do them – you might be surprised at your answers.

Take action – being courageous pushes you through any fear that may stop you, which is done by acting on your desires. Fears can hold you back as you may be thinking of a negative outcome or have talked yourself into how lacking you are. The brain is actually looking to protect you by being ‘safe’ and staying where you are. However, taking some type of action will lead to your desired outcome; start with the smallest step so your fear center doesn’t activate.

Visualize – see yourself with the desired outcome, as well as taking necessary actions that led you there. This is a great way to activate your brain for success. Utilize all of your senses in this exercise in detail. Our visual sense is one of the most powerful of the five senses so use it; you can close your eyes and ‘see’ you taking any actions to reach your goal; you can take a picture, draw, or find one from a magazine; what you see you start to believe and it primes your brain to go after it. I once consulted for a woman who had a picture of a house at least 20 times in her office; she said it was her dream home and she never wanted to forget what she was working for. She did get that house. It worked for her and can for you, as well.

Having courage does not equate with some large-scale event; for some people, it can mean getting out of bed or picking up the phone to schedule a job interview. Go back and look at all that you have accomplished in your life to ‘see’ how courageous you really are.

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.”

(Maya Angelou)