I always seem to be on a quest for a perfectly ripe banana. Do you do this? You buy them when they are mostly green and display them on your kitchen counter awaiting the day of the mostly yellow event. We then peal and it's perfect. For a day. And then, our perfectly yellow banana becomes a slightly brown banana and then a mostly brown mushy thing that we could make into banana bread if we had the time.

Lately I've decided this attention to the fruit is getting irritating. Seriously, I can be happy with a slightly yellow banana, can't I, or I can just eat an apple! All of this has me thinking about life. It seems so many days we cruise along at top speed waiting for this or that to be just right, to be ripe, to be perfect. It's tiring.

The other night I found myself whimpering on the bathroom floor around midnight from a virus, or maybe from eating a brown banana, and I thought to myself, "Here's another one of those wake-up calls." I've been going too hard again, not taking care of myself, screeching along at warp speed.

It's so easy to get caught up in everything and everyone you think needs your attention. It's vintage me to get a nasty reminder that I need to stop and slow down. I need to forget about what's ripe and what isn't. I need to breathe. I need to relish in what is.

I called Kim the next morning to tell her of this epiphany I had. I decided to look at this sudden illness as a gift. It feels so good to feel better and to take a few minutes to not only realize that but to savor it. And whatever is or isn't ripe, it's okay. I'm going to enjoy this moment and the next.

We've all heard by now that meditation is good for us.  It's calming effects help to reduce our blood pressure, control the stress response in our bodies and improve our moods.  But did you know that neuroscientist have proven that meditation is not only good for our physical health and emotional wellbeing, but also has a significant impact on our brains?

Studies show that taking time to meditate each day can affect our brains both chemically and structurally.  This means that meditation changes the brain's chemical response (releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin) and changes the actual structure of the brain.  A recent study proved that meditation significantly slowed the growth of gray matter in the brain that occurs with aging.

So now that we know the WHY behind meditation, let's address the HOW.  Simply set aside 60 seconds in the morning and/or at night to close your eyes and focus on your breath.  

Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted or distracted.  Sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Begin by breathing in through your nose.  Feel the air coming through your nostrils, down your throat and filling up your belly.  And then slowly exhale through your mouth until all of the air is released.  

Repeat this pattern for at least one minute keeping your focus on your breath so that your mind doesn't wander.  If thoughts come into your head, let them float by like clouds knowing that you can address them later.

Oftentimes people are hesitant to try to meditate because it seems overwhelming or they feel as though they are not capable of sitting still for a prolonged period of time. Meditation doesn't need to involve a huge time commitment.  You can start slowly and build your way up. Once you begin to feel the benefits, you will find that you actually want to increase your time commitment because it feels SO good!

It's just that easy!  So don't be afraid to try it.  Stop and take a few mindful breathes right now.  And don't forget to pat yourself on the back afterwards, as you are on your way to better physical, emotional and brain health!