Last week I finally got around to getting my annual physical exam. Well, it is supposed to be “annual.” I somehow missed it for a few years. (Don’t be like me – get a full physical exam every year. This is an important part of “Putting the Odds in Your Favor.”)

I’m a member of Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, NC, and my primary care doctor is an MD but she is an “Integrative Medicine Physician,” and is open to solving medical issues with both conventional and complementary approaches.

Other than persistently high cholesterol, courtesy of my gene pool, I am in excellent health. My doctor confirmed this, but then went on to tell me something no doctor has ever said to me before.

My doctor told me that I should make a practice of meditating every day. Yes – meditating.

Not once in a while, or when I got around to it, but every single day.

She recognized that I have a tendency to overwork (I do!) and push myself to get more done (I really do!). These can be great qualities and I love my work, but it can overtake other important components in my life, such as my need for rest and relaxation. I shared with my doctor that while I do sleep well, most days I work long hours and I don’t always take breaks for rejuvenation. Her answer…mediate and meditate every single day.

This suggestion was surprising, but I’m taking it seriously.

This highly skilled and experienced physician wasn’t offering me pills or recommending tests. She was suggesting that I develop the habit to quiet my mind, clear my heart and be open to the stillness of a few precious moments, alone without my to-do list. She was suggesting that I make this a priority and that I will find a new calmness and overall benefits to my health and well-being.

I’m in! I’m all in!

I’ve enjoyed mediation in the past, and I recommend it to my coaching clients. I’ve never, however, made it a sustained, daily habit.

This new daily habit officially begins now. You are my witness and my accountability partner.

For me, meditation is similar to prayer, but different in that it’s a complete quieting of the mind. I’ve heard some say that prayer is talking to God, while meditation can be listening to or for God. I like that analogy. For those who aren’t religious or spiritual, meditation can be a way to slow down the incessant mind spinning – usually replaying countless negative thoughts. Dr. Wayne Dyer refers to meditation as a way to get between your thoughts, and have small moments with no thoughts at all.

I’ve tried meditation off and on for several years. I’ve taken yoga classes that integrate some meditation. I’ve enjoyed Wayne Dyer’s book and simple meditation taught in “Getting in the Gap,” and I have three apps on my iPhone for mediation. These are: Calm, Insight Timer, and Headspace.

I’m currently reading a great book by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson called “Love 2.0,” and in it, Dr. Fredrickson highly recommends a type of meditation called “loving kindness meditation.”

There are probably hundreds of different types and techniques for meditation, going back for thousands of years. Just Google it or do a search on Amazon or YouTube, and you’ll see what I mean.

I’m going to follow my doctor’s advice, and make this simple practice a regular part of my morning routine. I’m 100% confident that it will make my life and my health even better, both now and in the long run.

Meditation can also become a part of your life. It can bring you just a few minutes of peace and tranquility, even if your schedule is full and your to-do list is overflowing. This may be the best thing you can do to improve your health and happiness. I recommend you give it a try.

Cheers to abundant health and happiness to you and yours!

Coach Brett Blair

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