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- Part 2: Meditation + You
My meditation practice has evolved with every season of my life. But one thing has stayed the same: the real, tangible impact it’s had on my body, brain, and capacity to show up with presence.
Turns out, science backs that up too.
🧠 What the Research Says About Meditation
🪴 Neuroplasticity
Meditation increases gray matter in areas linked to memory, emotional regulation, and aging.
Just 10 minutes a day of mindfulness can literally reshape your brain. 🤯 This is nuts to me, a child of the nineties who was told all through school that your brain stops changing and growing once it’s fully developed.
⏳ Reaction Time & Patience
Studies show that 8-week mindfulness programs improve attention span and help people stay grounded under pressure.
Some participants even showed up to 50% faster reaction times.,
Imagine the implications of this in real life:
🧘♀️ At work, being able to stay calm in stressful situations.
🏈 In sports when a wide receiver can turn his head a tenth of a second faster.
🚗 In your daily commute when someone swerves into your lane and you can safely avoid it.
🌿 Emotional + Physical Well-Being
One study found that college students who practiced mindfulness regularly reported less anxiety and depression. They also exercised more, ate better, and made healthier choices across the board.
Kind of like “trickle-down economics.” Except, it actually worked.
🌀 The Ripple Effect
Mindfulness doesn’t just shift your stress response.
It transforms your day. Your presence. Your relationships.
Your sense of self.
Let’s look at one powerful example: cortisol.
Cortisol is your primary stress hormone. High levels over time contribute to chronic illness, inflammation, and immune issues. But meditation has been shown to reduce cortisol. Meaning that a daily practice isn’t just good for your mind, it’s good for your entire system.
So ask yourself this:
What would happen if you started every day with 10 quiet minutes of being with yourself?
What might soften? What might open?
🌱 A Gentle Reminder
Meditation isn’t about clearing your mind.
It’s about noticing your mind.
It’s the practice of awareness; so you can respond to life, rather than react to it.
✨ Curious how to begin? In the next blog post, I’ll walk you through how to start a meditation practice. Even if your brain is busy, your schedule is full, and your inner critic is loud.
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