As I sit in my new office at 2140 W. Fulton, I breathe a big sigh of relief.  We are finally feeling settled into our new space and I am grateful we got thru these past 10 months.  Moving is tough and this move was one of the hardest steps to take in all the years we’ve been in business.  We not only moved our business but we launched our new baby line, Shirley & Victor.  These two phases combined have nearly made me crazy.  I’m not just saying “crazy” lightly.  I really lost my mind.

Years ago I walked into a doctor’s office and saw the words, “Constant Stress is a Killer” written on the wall.  Truer words have not been spoken…  So how did I muster thru one of the most difficult times in my career?  I began to meditate.  I read Dan Harris’ book, 10% Happier and started adopting some of his meditation techniques.  Not only did I start to sleep a little better but I was able to focus on the tasks at hand.  The first thing I did was to practice trying to be completely present.  For just 5 minutes each day, I forced myself to become 100% present in whatever I was doing.  I stopped the noise in my brain and really forced myself to listen to the person speaking to me and focusing 100% on whatever I was doing.  Every morning after working out I would lay on my yoga mat and just be present.  I started doing this for five minutes each day and before I knew it, I was meditating for 30 minutes.  Each night before going to bed, I drank a cup of “bedtime” tea, turned off the news and sat quietly, listening to my breath going in and out.  Without meditation it would have been medication for me.

I still have days when I can’t settle my mind and meditating seems impossible, but I’ve learned how to cope with this.  I simply acknowledge my thoughts and then allow myself to let them go for at least 5 minutes each day. I force myself to breathe deeply and listen only to my breath. I recommend this for everyone, regardless of whether you think you’re stressed or not. I guarantee you will feel better and find yourself enjoying life a lot more.  So be calm, be happy and be present!

-Germaine Caprio, MAJAMAS EARTH Company Owner & Designer