Help! I Suck at Meditating
If you are here, chances are you, have tried to start a mindfulness or meditation practice before.
And if you have tried to start a meditation practice before, chances are you probably stopped, restarted, tried again, and stopped again.
So many of us give up on meditating because we can’t find the time or motivation, we find it difficult to sit in silence, or we conclude that we just“suck at meditating”.
At Words for Monday, we are here to remind you that you are not alone, and in fact, most experienced meditators have felt exactly how you feel right now.
You don’t suck at meditating.
You most likely just fall into one of these traps or believe one of the many misconceptions about the practice. Let’s debunk why you think you suck at meditating, to hopefully find a path of consistency and comfort in your practice.
Myth #1 You Have to Quiet the Mind
Unless you are a monk who has practiced for 20 years, it’s very normal and expected when your mind wanders during meditation. Our minds wander. It’s what they are programmed as humans to do. Mindful meditation is not about erasing your thoughts and sitting with a blank slate.
Your mind will naturally wander, and that's perfectly normal. It’s observing any arising thoughts and noticing them without judgment. The moment you recognize your mind is wandering? That’s it! That’s the mindfulness moment. The key is to gently redirect your focus back to your chosen point of attention, such as your breath or a mantra, whenever you notice your thoughts drifting.
Myth #2 You Need to Practice an Hour a Day
While longer sessions can be valuable, even a few minutes of daily practice can yield significant results. Consistency is more important than duration. Short, regular sessions can help you cultivate mindfulness in your everyday life, reducing stress and enhancing your overall well-being. Start small, even if it’s 3-5 minutes a day, and try to increase your time from there.
Myth #3 You Need to Spend Money
No, you don't need a dedicated meditation room, special equipment, or an expensive subscription to practice mindfulness. All you need is a comfortable seat and a little bit of time to practice formal mindfulness. Informal mindfulness, practicing awareness doing things we are already doing, only requires one thing: your awareness.
Myth #4 It Should Always Be Relaxing
While relaxation is a desired outcome for some (and that's great for them), not all mindfulness techniques are meant to lull you to sleep or soften your focus. In fact, you may experience the opposite. Practicing mindfulness while experiencing difficult thoughts, feelings, or emotions can be extremely difficult (read about trauma-informed mindfulness here). It’s when we are experiencing these difficult moments, that we possibly need mindfulness the most.
Myth #5 It’s a Quick Fix
So many of us turn to mindful meditation expecting immediate results. However, like any skill, it requires time and patience to develop. While you may experience some immediate stress relief, the profound changes in cognitive and emotional patterns often take time to manifest. Be patient with yourself and trust the process.
There's no singular or "correct" way to practice mindfulness. If you want to buy the aesthetic meditation cushion, burn the incense, or sign-up for the app/subscription go for it! Just know none of this is needed - you can practice anything mindfully.
If you are ready to give your mindfulness practice another try, start here.
Remember, mindfulness is a journey, not a destination. Here at Words for Monday, we hope to share the practice of mindfulness in a fun, digestible, and easy to apply way so you can start being present in your own life. Right. Now.
Be sure to check out our other blog posts and list of further resources to learn more!
See what happens when you start paying attention.
WFM
