Youth worker self-care: Meditation - Ultimate Youth Worker

Self care through meditation

I was recently looking for a little something new to add to my self-care repertoire. I was feeling a little drab in my own self care practice and as I reviewed my self care plan I noticed that lately much of my plan was practical skills based focused. I had not been doing any existential self reflective work. As I was pondering this one day I was challenged by a podcast I was listening to. In this particular podcast there was a discussion of the need for people to set goals and that meditation is one of the goals set by entrepreneurs. As an entrepreneur I was intrigued and after doing a little research I set a goal to meditate.

Here are a few of the reasons I decided to check out meditation:

It increases the synchronicity in your life
It helps living in the present moment
It increases self-actualisation.
Provides peace of mind, happiness
Decrease in potential mental illness
React more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.
Helps with focus & concentration
Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.
Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
Enhances the immune system.
Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.

As a youth worker, these are all skills I could use more of everyday. Meditation is one of those skills I have tried before but never implemented as a long term ritual. After looking into the benefits of meditation I can’t believe I let it go without a bit more of a fight. Meditation fit within all areas of our self care plan and affects all areas immensely. Meditation is great.

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Aaron Garth

Aaron Garth is the Executive Director of Ultimate Youth Worker. Aaron has worked as a youth worker in a number of settings including local church, street drug and alcohol outreach, family services, residential care, local government and youth homelessness since 2003. Aaron is a regular speaker at camps, retreats, & youth work training events and is a dedicated to seeing a more professional youth sector in Australia. Aaron is a graduate of RMIT University and an alumnus of their youth work program. He lives in Melbourne with his wife Jennifer & their daughters Hope, Zoe, Esther, Niamh and son Ezra.

Self care through meditation

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Aaron Garth

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