Starting a meditation practice isn’t easy. It can soon lose its novelty and become a challenge to remain consistent even though we know it’s something that can help us. Meditation can look however you want it to look. It doesn’t have to look like what we see in the media, such as sitting cross legged on a yoga mat or out in nature. That said, if this works for you then it is perfect just the way it is.
I know for myself I am very competitive and want things to look a certain way when I do them. In other words, for meditation, I want to do it perfectly. I want to sit and breathe how I’m “supposed to” and I want to be excellent in my mindset and not have any challenges (such as negative thoughts or emotions). However, these are false narratives and conditioning I adopted for what constitutes a “successful” meditation practice.
To build a sustainable meditation practice I firstly invite you to ask yourself, “What does a successful meditation practice look like for me?? Be curious with what comes to mind without judgement (great time to practice your meditation skills 😉). Do you have any thoughts and beliefs about meditation that may be influencing how you practice? Where do these beliefs come from? Are they even yours? Lastly, consider why you want to start and sustain a meditation practice to begin with.
Giving yourself time and space to explore these questions gives you the opportunity to redefine what a “successful” and “sustainable” meditation practice looks like for YOU and nobody else. Once you have redefined what a successful and sustainable meditation practice looks like to you, you can then start to build your meditation practice. Here are some tips on how to begin to build your successful and sustainable meditation practice.
1. Start small. Something I learned from my psychologist that helped me to gradually introduce things into my routine was, “Pick something you can do even on your worst day.” There can be many factors that can affect our ability to sustain a meditation practice. This may include, but is not limited to, the following: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual factors. Taking these factors into consideration is important when determining how often and how long you want your meditation practice to be. For example, let’s say my intention is to meditate everyday. I then need to consider how long I want to meditate each day. I may consider that I want to meditate 20 minutes each day. However, is this realistic, for how my life is now, to begin at 20 minutes to build a sustainable meditation practice? Could I maintain this on my worst day? I would say, No.
The key is that you are starting to build a new habit into your routine. In this case, the new habit is a meditation practice. In the beginning it’s not about how long you meditate or how often. It is about being consistent with the meditation practice you have set out to add to your routine. It doesn’t matter if you begin with 1 or 10 minutes/day or 20 minutes 3x/week. Regardless of what you decide you will get the benefits of meditation. Any duration of meditation is better than none. The goal is to be consistent. Building this consistency into your routine will allow you to be more sustainable in your meditation practice. And overtime you can work toward your meditation goal whatever that may be such as meditating 20 minutes a day. Remember, what can you do on your worst day? and start there.
2. Be kind to yourself. At some point in time your meditation practice is going to become inconsistent and you may even drop your practice. This is completely normal, and this is A-OK. What’s important is that you are kind to yourself for whatever the reason is you have fallen out of your meditation routine. Life ebbs and flows and so can your meditation practice. The key is you choose to return to your practice. Though it may feel like you’re starting back at the beginning, remember you’re not. You have experience starting a meditation practice and so you can do it again. This is a beautiful time to reflect on your meditation practice and if there is a different way you want to go about it to make it more sustainable in your life. One must also accept we are not perfect and to be kind to ourselves along the journey. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the process. Be kind.
3. Have fun with it! Starting a meditation can be fun! Make yourself a meditation space. It doesn’t have to be big, it can be a corner in your bedroom or you can meditate lying in your bed. Play around with where you meditate. Make the space your own. Make it comfy with lots of cozy pillows and blankets. Wear comfy clothes. Light some candles and incense or use essential oils. Wear lounge clothes or dress up and wear your favourite jewellery. Open a window and listen to nature as you meditate. Try meditating outside and lying in the grass. The sky’s the limit. Be creative, try different things and see what works and what doesn’t. This is all part of the beautiful journey of creating a sustainable meditation practice for you.
Building a meditation practice is all about YOU. This is your practice, and you get to choose what it looks like. You know yourself best. Be kind, have fun, and redefine what sustainable means to you. Above are just a few tips on how to get started. I would love to hear if you give any of them a try and how your experience was. I wish you well along your meditation journey and may you have a beautiful day!
With Love,
Steph
Start By Asking Yourself These Questions:
What does a successful meditation practice look like for me?
Do I have any thoughts and beliefs about meditation that may be influencing how I practice meditation? Where do these beliefs come from? Are they even mine?
Why do I want to start and sustain a meditation practice to begin with?