So you've seen me getting tipsy at the bar Friday night. I was probably dancing around like I didn't have a care in the world and talking to strangers as if they were old friends.

You've also probably seen me biting my lip in the computer lab Sunday night stressing over a deadline.

And unless you live with me, one place you haven't seen me, is sitting at the edge of my bed, Indian-style, eyes closed, in a deep trance. In other words, meditating. But I do practice it. Not as ritualistically as I'd like at least four times a week.

There are a lot of things in my life that cause me to somewhat stress out. Somewhat, yes. Not a lot. I don't stress out a lot, and that's because of 40 minutes I take out of each day to meditate.

My first experience involving meditation dates back to living at home with my parents. I'd accidentally interrupt my dad by knocking on his bedroom door, only to hear, "Not now, I'm meditating." And it wasn't until I moved away to college that I associated "Not now, I'm meditating" with anything other than a closed bedroom door and no light seeping out from under the crack.

In college I took to meditating within the first two semesters. I was baffled by how other students kept sane with all the work we were expected to do. Now, meditation increases my creativity - sometimes it's hard not to break the meditation to write down a groovy thought. It also helps me come to terms with difficult situations. When life gets rough, I just sit. It may seem like a strange way of going about things, but it really works. If you don't believe me, check out the benefits link.

Putting a few minutes aside to meditate each day can help in many difficult circumstances. Whether its dealing with family, friends, lovers, work - peace of mind is offered through meditation.

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Check out the benefits meditation offers!

An easy step-by-step lesson!

Why do it? A doctor's reasons.