Headspace is a meditation app that I truly cannot get enough of and here’s why – At the start of the Pandemic, I started downloading all sorts of different apps for meditation and relaxation. Like everyone else during those early scary days, I needed all the help and additional support I could get. Flash forward to July 2022, and the only app left on my phone is Headspace.
I’m not too surprised as I did Jon Kabat-Zinn’s program years ago on Mindfulness, and Headspace uses similar concepts–for meditation, mindfulness, stress reduction, focus, movement, starting your day right, and sleep. I like to have a wide variety of meditations to choose from to match my mood or what I want to focus on each day. Very straightforward techniques are used, especially focusing on using your breath to relax, to deepen, and to let go. It most closely matches my style of meditation which I personally use and teach my clients and resonates the most with me.
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Headspace, which means I may make a commission should you click through to make a purchase. This is no way impacts your cost or my opinion of this app.
The Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is incredibly beneficial in so many different ways. Not only can it significantly decrease your stress levels – and help you learn to breathe when new stressors arrive – but it’s incredible at increasing self awareness. Meditation can also help you better focus on the present, increase patience (with yourself and others!) and bring about healthier sleep habits.
As I teach my clients, if you are just focusing on your breath, it is an effective and ultimately an easy way to be in the present. It just takes practice and focus.
Tip: If you get distracted by thoughts and you will, just acknowledge them and allow them to drift on by like a cloud in the sky. Watch them disappear.
Making time for meditation
Making time for meditation isn’t always easy, I know. But once you clear the space for it, it becomes habit quickly. This is why I love Headspace – it makes it so that meditating can be done almost anywhere, any time! This guided meditation app has thousands of hours of guided mindfulness exercises, so there’s truly something for everyone.
In fact, while working through one of those exercises, I realized, perhaps not too surprisingly, that the person’s voice guiding me into meditation etc. is HUGE. Since I am a hypnotherapist, my voice is crucial to my work, but I often forget how personal it can to the person being guided. A lot of the apps I tried I discarded pretty quickly because I didn’t like or found the voice(s) on it irritating or distracting! A lot of apps also have music, which I often found disturbed my focus. I like the option to turn music off if I want.
Many of Headspace’s categories are what I work with my own clients on as well. I often suggest trying apps in between our sessions, as well as what I have on my YouTube channel for additional support and for expanding their knowledge and tools on topics that are relevant to them.
Cons of Headspace
Overall, I highly recommend using Headspace. Does it serve as a replacement should need personal 1:1 guidance, such as with a Coach + Hypnotherapist like me? No. But it’s a good place to start, especially if you’re not yet in a position where coaching makes sense!
I will say that one con of Headspace is that the number of options they have can definitely feel overwhelming. I definitely recommend finding a handful that suit you well and sticking with those until otherwise necessary. Don’t lose time trying to sift through everything they have to offer only to find you no longer have time to meditate.
If you’ve been looking for a meditation app, I highly recommend checking out Headspace today!
