00:00:03 S1: Welcome to listening. Well with me, Stephanie where every weekday I'm going to share a pod post on how to live your best life. What I want to share with you next is setting up the time and space for meditation. It does help to have a regular time and space to cultivate a consistent meditation practice. You'll often hear that the mornings are preferred because your mind is the most clear and empty upon waking up, especially if you don't look at your socials or emails first thing in the morning. If possible, dedicate a space exclusively to your daily sitting somewhere that promotes a sense of zen and relaxation where incense are readily available. Cushions are there to support your posture and your candles are always there in place. You could even go a step further and create an altar with photos or statues that inspire you. I mean, we all have our thing. These decorative items help create a mood to remind you of what you love and admire. I used to be quite fixated on when I would meditate and also the space in which I would meditate. But this has changed a little bit for me because every day is a new day and I feel quite different day to day. I understand that some people work best with structure. For example, they wake up, brush teeth, meditate, make coffee, go for a walk. But some work best with spontaneity. Sometimes I feel super inspired first thing in the morning and highly productive and choose to do some writing first thing. Or maybe I'm feeling very energized and choose to do an exercise or go for a walk. But I also don't beat myself up if I don't meditate every day. I've been placing more emphasis on my informal practice that doesn't require a specific time and place. For example, if you're on a commute and your bus, not when you're driving, I take those moments to close my eyes, take a few deep breaths. Next thing you know, 5 minutes have passed and I'm at my destination. Sometimes meditating when you're amidst the chaos is actually some of the best times to find clarity and stillness. And so that's what works for me. But if you're serious about your meditation practice, it does help to have a space dedicated for your practice. It does help that you can have a time that you can set your alarm to so that you can start to create a little bit more consistency when you begin. I wish you well on your journey to starting your meditation practice. Thanks for listening. Well, the link to our Web site is in our show notes and I'll be back tomorrow with another episode to inspire you to live your best life.