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ve found that walking has made me more appreciative of my body and not feel like it needs to be “punished” for not being a muscle-producing machine. And my body has thanked me for it one-hundred fold.</p><p id="30da"><a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking">Dr. Thomas Friedan, the former director of the CDC, has even called walking “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.</a>” From reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancers to improving immunity, walking is one of the easiest (not to mention the cheapest) forms of exercise that exists today.</p><p id="9ec9">To make walking even more like meditation:</p><ul><li>Walk outside, preferably in nature.</li><li>Instead of listening to music or podcasts, notice the sounds, smells, and any other physical sensations you experience while you are on your walk.</li><li>Take note of any animals you see on your walk and watch them for a short while.</li><li>Don’t follow a set route each time, but rather go wherever you find yourself drawn to while you are on your walk.</li></ul><blockquote id="1c31"><p>As always, be sure to follow any necessary safety precautions such as not walking when it is dark, walking in areas in which you are familiar, wearing comfortable clothing, telling a friend or loved one where you are going, and, if you can, bring a cell phone with you in case of emergency (just be sure it is on silent so as to not disturb you).</p></blockquote><h1 id="df83">#2: Create a piece of art.</h1><p id="06e4">Adult coloring books have become wildly popular in the last five or so years, and with good reason. Coloring (or any type of creative expression for that matter) is a great way to <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a25941426/adult-coloring-books/">reduce anxiety and stress</a>. Plus, when you’re finished you have something beautiful to hang in your apartment o

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r give to a friend.</p><h1 id="3591">#3: Wash dishes.</h1><p id="848e">Now, stay with me on this one. While I am certainly the type to let the dishes pile up in the sink, once I actually get down to it and wash them, I actually feel more relaxed. There’s also something about making something dirty clean again. If my head is particularly full of negative thoughts or a long to-do list of things that, well, I have still yet to do, washing dishes is a great way to metaphorically wash away the grime and build-up of the day.</p><h1 id="c6af">#4: Clean your home.</h1><p id="e3d9">Similar to washing dishes, cleaning your home is like cleaning out the clutter of thoughts in your head.</p><p id="5a56">Start with something small and let yourself wander from room to room and task and task without thinking, judging, or planning what to do next. Remember, this is a meditative exercise, not a productivity exercise in which you are trying to clean your space in the most efficient way possible. So, forget those Marie Kondo rules for a while and start cleaning with abandon!</p><h1 id="3f6a">#5: Give yourself a massage.</h1><p id="c571">If you can’t afford to go to a massage parlor, giving yourself a home massage is a great form of meditation and self-care. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube about how to give yourself a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdkgqXBXprY">facial massage</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxWMnt4ZyzY">leg massage</a>, or anywhere else where it is easy to reach. You can do it while listening to gentle music or not. Just make sure you are paying attention to the physical sensations that your body creates. It’s really quite amazing if you think about it.</p><p id="e79c">So, next time you find yourself in need of some peace and relaxation, try one of these meditation alternatives and give your mind and body the attention it deserves.</p></article></body>

5 Ways to Meditate (Without Sitting In Silence)

Silence isn’t always golden.

The mental and physical benefits of meditation are well-documented: reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood and sleep, the list goes on and on.

But, let’s face it, sometimes, meditation can be … well, boring.

I have tried many, many times to make meditating a habit, but I just can’t seem to get it to stick. It ends up being yet another chore that I have to do.

Fortunately, I have found some activities that are similar to meditation but are a bit more suited to my need for some sort of physical activity and stimulation.

If you’re like me and want all the benefits of meditation but don’t want to sit on your butt in silence, here are some activities that you can try (many of which you probably already do).

#1: Take a walk.

I became hooked on taking walks ever since I decided to give up running as my main form of exercise as it was hard on my joints and made me ravenously hungry all day. It wasn't long before I started noticing some surprising benefits: my appetite actually decreased, I became less stressed and more energized, and it greatly improved my relationship with my body and self-esteem.

While it’s sometimes fun to go into “beast mode” and give yourself a super tough workout, I’ve found that walking has made me more appreciative of my body and not feel like it needs to be “punished” for not being a muscle-producing machine. And my body has thanked me for it one-hundred fold.

Dr. Thomas Friedan, the former director of the CDC, has even called walking “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.” From reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancers to improving immunity, walking is one of the easiest (not to mention the cheapest) forms of exercise that exists today.

To make walking even more like meditation:

Walk outside, preferably in nature.
Instead of listening to music or podcasts, notice the sounds, smells, and any other physical sensations you experience while you are on your walk.
Take note of any animals you see on your walk and watch them for a short while.
Don’t follow a set route each time, but rather go wherever you find yourself drawn to while you are on your walk.

As always, be sure to follow any necessary safety precautions such as not walking when it is dark, walking in areas in which you are familiar, wearing comfortable clothing, telling a friend or loved one where you are going, and, if you can, bring a cell phone with you in case of emergency (just be sure it is on silent so as to not disturb you).

#2: Create a piece of art.

Adult coloring books have become wildly popular in the last five or so years, and with good reason. Coloring (or any type of creative expression for that matter) is a great way to reduce anxiety and stress. Plus, when you’re finished you have something beautiful to hang in your apartment or give to a friend.

#3: Wash dishes.

Now, stay with me on this one. While I am certainly the type to let the dishes pile up in the sink, once I actually get down to it and wash them, I actually feel more relaxed. There’s also something about making something dirty clean again. If my head is particularly full of negative thoughts or a long to-do list of things that, well, I have still yet to do, washing dishes is a great way to metaphorically wash away the grime and build-up of the day.

#4: Clean your home.

Similar to washing dishes, cleaning your home is like cleaning out the clutter of thoughts in your head.

Start with something small and let yourself wander from room to room and task and task without thinking, judging, or planning what to do next. Remember, this is a meditative exercise, not a productivity exercise in which you are trying to clean your space in the most efficient way possible. So, forget those Marie Kondo rules for a while and start cleaning with abandon!

#5: Give yourself a massage.

If you can’t afford to go to a massage parlor, giving yourself a home massage is a great form of meditation and self-care. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube about how to give yourself a facial massage or leg massage, or anywhere else where it is easy to reach. You can do it while listening to gentle music or not. Just make sure you are paying attention to the physical sensations that your body creates. It’s really quite amazing if you think about it.

So, next time you find yourself in need of some peace and relaxation, try one of these meditation alternatives and give your mind and body the attention it deserves.