Getting into meditation

As you may know, I adore meditation and genuinely believe that adding daily meditation into my routine has been life-changing. However, I also know and completely understand how hard it can feel to get started. Your brain continuously wanders and won't stay still, you never have enough time or you do it once and it doesn't help so you decide to give up. Don't worry I've been there, done that and there is absolutely no judgement. Meditation is hard, in an overly busy world, where we are continuously rushing, sitting down and being still is tricky. The guilt that arises when you are doing nothing and your brain runs through the To-Do list over and over! Not to mention any challenging feelings that arise that you suddenly have to tackle. We are also very used to getting what we want when we want it, thanks to next day delivery and streaming services, and as meditation doesn't show its effects immediately people believe that meditation just isn't for them. As you can see, it's no wonder why people give up meditation when they first start. But the people who push through the initial struggle and put in the work will reach a place where meditation feels a bit easier and learn so much about themselves. I want you to be those people, so I have created a little list with my tips for getting into and sticking at meditation!

Start with guided meditations

When you start your journey by trying to do silent meditations you are immediately making things very hard for yourself. We live in a world where our minds are constantly stimulated and we get bored incredibly quickly. So sitting down with no noise and no guidance is a recipe for disaster, you will get bored and your mind will wander and then you will beat yourself up about it and give up. If you start with guided meditation someone can teach you meditation techniques as well as bring you back when your mind wanders off. I have a 5 minute guided meditation for beginners coming out tomorrow on my YouTube channel so make sure to give that a go. Other great places to start are Headspace the Feel Better app or YouTube, where there are a wealth of free videos.

Keep in mind why you want to start meditation

Setting an intention and having a reason to meditate is the best motivation for the days when you really can't be bothered. Your reason could be as simple as wanting to be less short-tempered with your family or as deep as wanting to get to know yourself. Whatever it is make sure it means something to you and write it down for the days when getting sitting down to meditate feels hard.

Have a designated meditation time and place

Having a set time for meditation makes doing it so much easier. Maybe it's in the morning before you begin your day, during your lunch break to quickly reduce stress or in the evening to wind down before bed. Whenever you choose a consistent routine will really help. If you are struggling to commit to meditation tagging your practice onto another activity that you do daily can help, whether you brush your teeth then mediate or have a shower then mediate. Attaching to something you do naturally is an easy way to add it into your routine. Having a designated area also helps as your mind will associate that place with meditation, making it easier for the mind to calm down and your body to relax.

Keep it short

As a beginner sitting for just 5 minutes can feel tough but many people push themselves to sit for 10, 15 and even 20 minutes when their mind isn't ready. Don't do this! It is really important to remember with meditation that longer is not better and you don't need to sit for 1 hour to feel the benefits of taking some time out. Meditate for the length of time that feels doable for you and don't compare yourself to others everyone is different and every day is different.

Don't beat yourself up

It is so so easy when meditating to give yourself a hard time if you feel like you aren't doing it right. Maybe your mind wandered, you couldn't find stillness or challenging emotions made you tear up. Whatever it is that is making you talk to yourself unkindly is probably normal. The mind wandering is normal, not being able to settle is normal and crying is also normal. Every time your mind drifts, bring the attention back to the breath and continue with the meditation. No judgement, no comparison. Just love and kindness.

“There is no good or bad meditation — there is simply awareness or non-awareness. To begin with, we get distracted a lot. Over time, we get distracted less. Be gentle with your approach, be patient with the mind, and be kind to yourself along the way.”- Andy Puddicombe (Headspace)

At the end of the day, meditation is a journey some parts are tough, some parts are easy, it's always changing just as you are always changing. Be loving towards yourself. Be curious and get to know yourself, it's the greatest adventure there is. Most importantly, be patient and forgiving, it takes time but it is time worth spending - I promise.

I hope that you found this blog post helpful and that you are now determined to get into meditation. If you are please do let me know in the comments below or drop me an email at concentratedsunsine2@gmail.com

Megan x

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