Romi Carrell Wittman

A Hummingbird’s Guide to Zen

I suck at meditating.

Like, if meditation were an Olympic sport, I’d be the guy who trips during the opening ceremony and sets the Olympic flame on himself.

Consequently, I’ve avoided it like the plague and rolled my eyes harder than a teenager at a family dinner when it’s mentioned. I can’t focus on *meditating*. My brain is like a hummingbird on cocaine – it’s here, there, and everywhere. As I ‘meditate,’ I’m thinking about the papers I need to grade, the emails I need to write, and whether I remembered to buy toilet paper. Spoiler alert: I didn’t.

So, I was shocked to learn that *everyone* is just like me. Turns out, we’re all mental hummingbirds trying to sip from the flower of tranquility while buzzed on life’s nectar.

When I realized my brain wasn’t somehow defective when it comes to meditation, I gave it another go. I use the Healthy Minds app, which is free and features both active and resting meditations. Because nothing says “inner peace” like an app telling you to breathe.

Ideally, I’d set aside a little time to meditate each day; but, with a full-time job, three children, four dogs, my volunteer work, and my writing, that’s sometimes impossible. It’s like trying to find a quiet moment in a circus run by caffeinated monkeys.

But it’s worth the work. Meditation has been around for thousands of years. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation is a mind-body connection that results in a sense of calm and a life balance that benefits not only one’s emotional well-being but their physical health, too. In other words, it’s like a spa day for your brain, minus the cucumber water and judgmental estheticians.

I tried. Then I tried it again. And again. Each time my brain went off-script, running through the millions of things that cause me stress each day. That seemed counter-productive to me, and I was going to give it up. I was convinced that it wasn’t doing me much good, like kale smoothies or “educational” true crime TV shows.

It wasn’t until my therapist commented on my less-anxious-than-usual demeanor that I realized that, despite my hummingbird brain, meditation was working for me. Yes, my brain is still hyperactive, but now I recognize when my thoughts drift and I’m able to re-gain my focus. It’s like I’ve become a mental sheepdog, herding my wayward thoughts back to the meditation pasture.

The benefits of meditation touch all aspects of my life. I’m better able to control my anxiety and the sleeplessness and stomachaches that brings. Where I used to think meditation was a waste of time – time that could be spent tackling my always-growing to-do list or perfecting my procrastination techniques – I’ve come to realize that, in the long run, I’m a better professor, a better mom, and a better writer when I meditate regularly.

Who knew sitting still could be so productive? If you don’t meditate, you should give it a go. It will make you better in virtually all areas of your life. Except maybe juggling or Olympic sports