We can talk a good story when it comes to meditation. Unfortunately however, we sometimes do not meditate at all. You could think meditation. Or talk about it. Perhaps even discuss it. You might have even came across an app on your phone and downloaded it. But you never really tried it out.
We might start a meditating ritual on a daily basis but end up quitting pretty soon.
Wellbeing practitioners like yogis and psychologists might sing praises about meditation. As they should!
Meditation can help manage stress, improve focus and even boost creativity.
Quitting a meditation routine however, is a piece of cake for some of us. And there can be multiple reasons for this – busy schedules, chaotic and noisy environments, and uncomfortable positions.
All valid excuses really. However we are here to tell you that everything can be fixed!
Of course some effort and commitment is required from your side, but we are certain that the following will make that uphill struggle much easier!
Staying Comfortably
Poor posture or unusual anatomy (being too tall or too short for example), means that traditional meditation poses can be more of a challenge rather than an aid to help you meditate. You might think you are inflexible for yoga but this would probably have a negative impact on your meditation rituals as well.
There is no need to be cross legged on the floor to meditate at all.
Simply sit on a comfortable couch or chair.
You might even want to raise your legs.
Find a comfortable position, whether its laying down, sitting down or whichever pose that allows you to completely relax and be comfy!
Staying in One Position
Some of us have desk jobs or some sort of job which is sedentary and you are virtually immovable for long stretches at a time.
You might even be fired up and full of energy after work. You might also be a fidgety person!
This means that staying perfectly still and silent for a meditation will be particularly challenging and will stress you out rather than calm you down.
Remember, you do not always have to sit to meditate.
Did you know that you can walk and meditate?
Pick a nice walk by the sea or in the countryside.
Absorb all the sights, smells, and sounds of your surroundings.
It can be a powerful and memorable session!
Too Busy to Meditate
We are always too busy to do anything really. We always come up with excuses if we do not want to do certain things.
Sometimes we think that meditation is being in a silent environment in an immovable position for hours on end. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Even a one minute breathing exercise before bed each night can lead to substantial improvements.
You can find various apps that can help you with breathing exercises
Search “breathing app” on Apple Store or Google Play and check them out!
Forgetting to Meditate
It is very frustrating when you turn into bed every night, and when you are just about to go to sleep, it strikes you that you have skipped your meditation.
That is where handy reminders can be pretty useful.
You can set visual reminders by keeping a meditation cushion (if you use one) where you cannot miss it.
Alternatively you can set up app reminders on your phone so you won’t skip a meditating session.
Another good idea is to include meditation as part of a daily routine that you do, such as meditating before or after a workout.
A Loud Environment
You can be living next to a construction site. Or a busy street full of traffic.
Not to worry, technology is here to help.
A pair of noise cancelling headphones can actually do the trick.
Or how about just getting out of your daily environment and taking a walk or drive to the nearest peaceful place?
Either way, you need the right environment when it comes to meditation.
My Brain is Very Active
Your brain might be one where the wheels are continuously turning. You are involved in so many things they are going haywire in your head.
Ironically, the ones who find it the hardest to do are actually the ones who need meditation the most. This is very common and do not put yourself down if you fall under this category. Feel free to relate with most readers who are currently reading this article!
What you need is training.
The brain is like a muscle, and it gets used to whichever habits we throw at it.
If you force yourself to meditate for the first couple of days, the brain naturally falls into that routine, and each meditation routine will get easier and easier.
There you go, now you are fresh out of excuses not to meditate! Seriously though, we hope that the above gives you enough tips to give you better wellbeing through meditation.