Why should everyone start meditating

Hello Steemians,

For years now it seems that everyone out there has been pushing the benefits of meditation. Everyone meditates it seems. And all practitioners seem to revel in it. For a long time I was fairly dubious, the idea of sitting down and think of nothing to reach your higher state just seemed completely bonkers.
I don't want to tell you my life story but in short I started yoga and each session started and finished with meditation. I do not meditate everyday but I am getting there slowly slowly.
Today we talk about why should people meditate:

1. Me-time

The thing about meditation is that it's not really a group activity, yes you can meditate with other people (it will actually help you reach the meditation space faster), at the end it's just you and your thoughts. It's about you and creating a relationship with yourself. Nowadays between work, family, friends, social media we are almost never alone doing nothing (I feel for you mothers out there).
If you start setting time off everything else to just sit down with yourself and take a much needed break

1. Get to know your true self

Just like with other people in your life, to get to know other people you ave to spend regular time with them to get to know them for real.
By meditating regularly you might find out about your interests, passions, your personality. For your personal growth it is so essential to know where your starts.

1. Take a break from your issues

Everyone has issues, everyone feels stuck at times. By meditating you are quieting your mind and stop the worry for a while. This break can be your salvation at times.
When we are having our personal issues we tend to just have stuck minds, ideas, solutions don't come easily, we feel that we are forever stuck.
Meditation can alleviate your stress, anxiety and feeling of being stuck, it can also allow you to take a step back and observe the situation differently, to eventually find the solution you need.

Those are already great reasons for anyone to start meditating, they're very much focus on yourself though. What about meditation in relation with other people.

1. Improved communication

Because meditation teaches you to take a step back and reflect on your own life you become better equipped to manage your emotions, your mood is calmer and more constant (you don't get upset as much). Being calm and constant it allows people to express themselves more freely, taking a step back allows you to respond according to their situation (empathy anyone ?). Being more empathetic makes you a much better company !!!

1. Get ahead at work

Improving your communication skills can help you with clients, partners, managers and co-workers which is always great, it will help to improve how other see you at work.
Now let's dive in,

• Increased productivity/ focus : Meditation teaches you how to stop listening to the outside world and start focusing on yourself, this skill will allow you to stay focus when studying or when working. You will start doing much more in less time.
• New ideas: yet again this ability to take a step bake and think outside of the box will help you bring new ideas forward, and to criticise those ideas to make them even better.

Those are the thing that I noticed when I started meditating regularly what are your observations if any ? For me as well because I do not follow any organised religion I feel that it's quite similar in intent to what religious people do when communicating with their "God" what do you think about that ? should I develop this idea for another article ?

Have a nice day.
Elise