It was a noisy week.

It doesn’t matter whether you come from a blue state, a red state, love or loathe the new POTUS, the world changed dramatically overnight a week ago.

Anyone who struggles with transitions or change may feel out of sorts. You might feel off – like your equilibrium is out of balance. It takes time to settle into a new normal, especially if you were not looking for a seismic shift.

How do we turn down the noise?

Sure, we can turn off the television, get off Facebook and Twitter and find some space to be quiet.

But if you are like me, it’s challenging to turn off the noise in our brains.

My brain is busy. It always has been. And it’s hard to quiet down.

If I were more enlightened I would meditate.  But I struggle with sitting still.

So this year I am dedicating myself to more “moving meditation”.

As a child, I liked to swim. I was a fish and felt most at home in a pool. I simply felt at peace with my head in the water.

I did not understand at the time that swimming was my first form of moving meditation. No matter what was happening in my life, water was the cure. By moving I was able to better manage my busy thoughts. I tired myself out enough that I slept well. After a swim practice I could sit for the time needed to get homework done.

Running served a similar purpose after a cancer diagnosis in 2002. Pounding the pavement helped me feel grounded and strong in my body. It gave me an outlet for escaping my troubles and fears. Running helped me heal.

It took me nearly 50 years to finally make moving meditation a more regular part of my day. Even if I am tired, I know that a good walk on the paths of Discovery Park where I can overlook the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound provides a balm for challenging times.

You do not have to sit in the lotus position to reap the benefits of meditation. What types of activities help you lose track of time and leave you feeling refreshed when you are finished? What types of activities give your brain a break? What is your own type of “moving meditation”?