Meditation is one of those things that almost everyone agrees they should be doing to improve their lives, but few get around to. The benefits of meditation for physical and mental well-being are well known, along with the benefit of getting a better night’s sleep as a result. Very few people actually take up meditation though, and many who do find it difficult to keep up their weekly routine. If you think meditation will help you but are having trouble getting started then here are some tips on how to start meditating and how to maintain your enthusiasm for it.
Put in the effort to train yourself to meditate.
Pretty much any useful habit that you have picked up over the course of your life has come about as a result of training. The work and life skills that you use on a daily basis were all skills that you trained yourself to use over time. If you want to get into the habit of meditating regularly then you will also need to train yourself with that habit. To do this you’ll need to regularly practice meditating the same way that you practice for other things in your life.
Set aside time in your day when you will meditate.
Make a list of the times throughout your day when you will be free to meditate. Set yourself a meditation schedule based on those times. Make your schedule flexible if needed, but ensure that the meditation session still happens. Start small with short meditation sessions and add more time as you are able to meditate for longer.
Remove as many impediments as possible that may stop you from meditating or give you an excuse to not meditate.
If you encounter any distractions that stop you from meditating or make it harder to meditate then either remove those distractions or find a way to work around them. Turn off your phone alarm before you start meditating and let any messages go to storage. You can always check them later. If anyone is inclined to distract you during your meditation session then let them know you need them to wait until you are done. If any distractions outside your control occur then deal with them and resume your session when you are able to do so.
Pick a good place to meditate.
Ensure the place where you meditate is quiet and comfortable. If you have a bed or couch available then you can use that, but if necessary you can also meditate in a comfortable chair. Pick a meditation position that works for you and the situation you are meditating in. Avoid the ridiculously complicated positions that you may have seen people use in movies and other media. You just need to be comfortable and free of distractions.
Begin your meditation.
The main point of meditation is to drive your awareness into the deeper parts of your mind. It is very like the early stage of falling asleep. At first you will probably find yourself falling asleep during your meditation session, but over time you will learn more control.
Relax your body and clear your mind. Both of these become easier to do as you train yourself with more control over your body and thoughts. If any thoughts intrude then just push them aside and clear your mind again. By starving your awareness of input you force it deeper into your mind which lets you explore those areas of your consciousness.
Learning to meditate can require some effort, patience, and persistence on your part but the rewards are massive. A good meditation session lets you ground-out most of the negative thoughts circulating in your brain and eliminates the anxiety they cause. Meditation will improve your life in fundamental ways if you put in the work to learn how to do it regularly, so start planning your meditation schedule today and enjoy the rewards it provides.
