I can’t believe it’s almost 2020!!!! Wow, this year flew by! The end of every year brings about so many feelings and oh so many goals for myself the new year ahead. And while I love setting actionable career oriented goals this year (and there of course will still be some on my goal list!)  I have shifted my priorities a bit and put MINDFULNESS at the top of my list – and I’ve been using Alexa Skills with my Amazon Echo Dot to help me get a head start! All I had to do to get started was say, “Alexa help me be mindful this year!”

PS: shoutout to my friends at Amazon for sponsoring this post!!! .

The term mindful literally means to be conscious or aware of something. I want to move into 2020 more aware, more awake, more grounded, more calm and more centered because all of those things are truly the basis for a healthy, happy and successful year! I’ve found that the most effective way for me to embody all of those things is through a meditation practice. 

Carving out time for stillness is a habit, but it’s not always easy to prioritize it. Even for me, full knowing how good stillness makes me feel, when left to my own devices I often times skip it. But I recently started using Alexa Skills like Guided Meditation: Meditation of the Day for Calm with my Amazon Echo Dot to help me fully commit to my daily wellness ritual of getting still and I am thrilled to say I have actually been sticking with it EVERY DAY! Woohooooo!!! 

Skills unlock Alexa features to make for a more personalized, unique experience. They add new capabilities that allow you to create a more personalized experience with your Amazon Echo or other Alexa devices. Use them to play games, listen to your favorite podcast, catch up on the news and in this case, incorporate guided meditation in to your daily routine to help you cultivate a more balanced and calm life. I use my Amazon Echo Dot but skills are compatible with any Amazon Echo device or Alexa enabled device!

Setting up skills is EASY: you can find the top skills in the Alexa app or visit the skill store. Check out this page for all of the top health and wellness skills! New skills are being added all the time! If you want to try out my favorite meditation skills just search for Guided Meditation + Guided Meditation – Sweet Dreams!

When you set up Alexa Skills, “enable” the skill and link your account in the Alexa app. You can also ask Alexa to help you get started by saying, “Alexa, help me be mindful this year,” and she’ll give you top skills for meditation and mindfulness.

Incorporating a daily meditation practice comes along with so many health benefits! Daily meditation can help you reduces stress, calm anxiety (PS: less stress translates to less anxiety!) cultivate more balanced emotions, enhance your self-awareness, lengthen your attention span + so much more! I’ve also found that meditation daily helps me be more creative which in turn helps me thrive at work!

Whether you’re rushing to make breakfast and get the kids to school in the morning, or returning home after a long day of work — life can get a bit chaotic, especially around the holiday season; but you can’t pour from an empty cup bb. Self-care and taking time for stillness is NECESSARY for a healthy, happy and balanced life!

2020 is right around the corner bb, I am challenging YOU to commit to a daily wellness ritual with your Amazon Echo device utilizing relaxation-inducing skills! Kick off your new year on a more tranquil and level-headed note all from the comfort of your home ✨

Wishing you a happy, healthy and MINDFUL new year! .