You are anxious. Anxiety is essentially a misfired thought that proceeds to ricochet

aggressively against the walls of the skull, gaining power and momentum with each collision. It is a spiral of questions, insecurity, fear and self-doubt that becomes more of a reality with every minute it swirls inside your head. How can we calm this storm of the mind? Meditation, of course. Does your pet overthink things? Of course not, that would be silly… So why is it okay for you to?

You can’t sleep. When you can’t sleep, you feel absolutely dreadful. Your brain feels

sluggish, you feel unproductive and often dietary choices aren’t the most nourishing. To get that relaxation response your body needs to fall asleep, try mindfulness meditation. It has been shown to improve sleep quality, lower stress and reduce depression. Go ahead, show me a dog or cat who has trouble sleeping.

You are absurdly busy. When you don’t think you have time to eat a quality meal, never mind meditate, that is precisely the time you

need meditation the most. Okay, your pet really isn’t that busy, but if they were, you know they would still take the time to have a nice nap or take a little quiet space. Or, at least, they would go to bed early so they feel ready to slay the next day! Do you do these things? Even if you’re busy, maybe taking a 10 minute meditation break isn’t so impossible to squeeze in. You’ll feel so much better as a result and be more productive during the rest of your busy day, so it pays off.

You have low self-confidence. If you don’t think you’re worthy of what you have, or

what you could have, it’s time to spend a little more time with yourself. Meditation is the practice of being with yourself and accepting yourself simply as you are, without judgement. With practice, meditation can help you to realize that you are enough, and that you deserve to be truly happy and confident in who you are. Your dog has no self-doubt and is confident in both of you. Emulate that sort of enthusiasm for yourself.

You feel tired all the time. Maybe you get plenty of sleep, but you still wake up

tired. Whether it is stress, anxiety, depression or something else, you need to find a way to let your mind reset. Taking some time to meditate in the morning, during the day or before bed could help unlock the pressure release valve on that big brain of yours. Then, when it is time to play ball, you’ll be ready to go all in.

Your back hurts. Your pet has impeccable posture.

Why? Because they use their limbs, they stretch and they don’t sit hunched over in chairs. As I sit here, hunching my shoulders to navigate a relatively narrow keyboard, I feel grateful knowing I have a ballet class tonight and a yoga class tomorrow. It’s the only way I know how to undo the effects of sitting for long swaths of time. But, if you do not currently have a physical wellness routine that activates the sleeping muscles of the spine, abdominals and buttocks, you may be suffering from seat-induced back pain. And as back pain is notoriously tricky to heal—since, you know, your back is pretty much involved in all basic movements—the injury and its limitations can feel incredibly discouraging.

Studies have shown that meditation can be a powerful source of pain relief, & Meditating can help manage pain and even encourage the body to heal faster, without drugs. With such a problem with opioids in the nation, drug-free pain relief is undervalued.

Meditation is so important for our mental wellness so go sit alone in a quiet room for 20 minutes; Close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply and regularly. Meditation doesn’t have to be a crunchy practice for the yoga elite. Everyone could use some mindfulness. Our pets live in the moment, why can’t we?

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This is great information that I need to take heed of as I imagine my neck would feel better if I meditated more…  I need to work harder at these things because I believe this is very important in our lives.