Ahhh … meditation
I know Michael is a big proponent of meditating and has spoken about how this has had a profound impact on his overall well-being. So I, being one to have never quite been able to make this a regular practice of my own, decided to do a little research.
Max Lugavere just published his book, “Genius Foods,” which got my attention because I’m always looking for diet hacks that relate to the brain. The brain’s connection to our gut is probably one of the key factors that people who struggle with their health fail to understand.
You can access the article on meditation here.
Just to back track a little, I do practice my gratitude meditation every morning before I get out of bed. However, that isn’t quite the same as going deep and doing the real thing.
Benefits Meditation will have on our trading…
Grab your cushion, light a candle, maybe even some incense and assume the cross-legged position (kidding!).
Meditation leads to better health
Meditation leads to better health, both mental and physical. It reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, and even slows the aging process —- sign me up!
Meditation helps reduce anxiety
Meditation improves anxiety, depression and stress. I know that trading can lead to all three when we feel out of control but I’m guessing if we take the time, and it doesn’t take much, to get our meditation in we will be able to handle those down days much easier.
Meditation helps grow our brains!
Meditation actually grows the size of your brain! And in this case, size matters …
Doctors used to think that adults were unable to grow new brain cells (neurogenesis). Now this theory has been proven wrong (thankfully!) But it gets better. It has been shown that practicing meditation actually encourages this process along with improving your concentration and memory (some trades, I’d like to forget ; ) I know they say that it doesn’t really matter how “smart” you are if you follow your own trading rules and believe me, I know people who have been very successful in the market that I wouldn’t consider to be rocket scientists, but who can argue that improving your intellect is a bad thing when managing your money???
People who practiced only 3 months of meditation or musical exposure (remember my piece on the violinist?) saw improved attention, executive function, processing speed, sleep, mood, sleep, and overall quality of life. Your “Chart Your Life” score will be, well, off the charts!
Another benefit is that meditation is instrumental in helping people to break bad habits.
You know, like thinking we’re smarter than the market and making moves that can wipe us out quicker than it takes to practice a meditation or two. Just sayin’.
So There you have it … now it’s up to you to figure out which method is best for you or which app you think you may find most effective. Or, just do what I’m going to do and keep it simple.
No cushion, no crossed legs, maybe a candle … just simply “watching” my breath while letting my thoughts flow overhead while I slip into my OMMM.
Let me know which method or app you find works for you.
