Common reasons for not meditating and ways around them
It seems like everybody is meditating these days, all your favourite celebrities, your 10 year-old niece and maybe even your grandma. From reasons such as lowering stress, better brain function and more it’s not hard to see why you would want to join in.
But for some reason, you’re struggling to meditate frequently. Life gets in the way, as they say.
So let’s see some common reasons and possible solutions.
N.B. None of these are meant as judgements. I’ve struggled with all of these reasons in the past and they still pop up for me from time to time, as I’m sure they would for a lot of meditators. So I suppose this post is as much for me as it is you (thanks Stef!).
I’m not consistent
‘I missed a day, so I’ll just start it again next week/month/year/blue moon/lifetime.’ I’m certainly one to do this as well, sometimes keeping this up for weeks at a time.
I invite you to aim for Progress Over Perfection.
If you miss a day, that’s ok, pick it up again tomorrow. If you miss a week, that’s ok, pick it up again tomorrow. It really can be that simple.
You don’t know why you’re doing it
Knowing the why of something will make it much easier to commit to. It’ll also give you clarity on whether it’s worth you doing it or not.
Perhaps you’re meditating to improve brain function, to reduce stress, lower inflammation, improve digestion, or even just to try it out and see what benefits it has for you.
In any case, get really clear on why you’re doing it and remind yourself of this anytime you find yourself in a meditation-rut.
It’s uncomfortable
Here I’m talking about both the physical and mental/emotional aspects.
Physical
Sitting still can be uncomfortable, especially for someone with injuries. Do what you can to set up a meditation sanctuary, to make yourself as comfortable as possible. A lot of meditative practises will recommend sitting, not lying down, but if lying down improves your comfort and compliance, then I say lie down!
Again Progress Over Perfection. It’s better to meditate and break a few ‘rules’ than to not meditate at all.
Mental/emotional
I suppose this one can come from the misconception that meditation is when you never have a thought enter your head and results in a constant state of bliss. This is simply not true for beginners.
By sitting still and giving yourself time, you’re allowing your thoughts/feelings/emotions etc to process, and this can certainly be uncomfortable. It can also be wildly blissful. This is a part of meditation.
Know that by simply sitting down for meditation you have done well, regardless of what has come up during and after the session.
You’re too busy
‘You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should for an hour’ – Old Zen saying
I always chuckle at this quote. The Zen masters obviously thought that the people who could benefit most from meditation were the ones least likely to do it.
I would argue that with all of it’s benefits, you really don’t have time NOT to meditate.
Some of these benefits
Improved learning
Less sick days
Quicker and deeper sleep
Long term meditators tend to need less sleep
Improved focus and productivity at work
So if you think you’re too busy to meditate, the exact opposite may be true.
This isn’t to say that you need to dedicate an hour each day to meditation. Commit to what is realistic and achievable for you, start small and build up. Every little bit helps. How about you commit to just 5 minutes per day to get started?
Looking for ways to find extra time in your day? Read here (link to article on Screen Time app for the phone)
I know I should meditate but…
Insert any number of reasons above.
Get some external accountability by having a meditation accountability partner that you check in with daily or sign up to a class. Even just paying for a course or class can improve compliance.
Set an appointment for yourself in your calendar. Treat it as you would an appointment with anybody else.
Commit to an amount that is so easy to do. Like we said before, how about you start with just a little bit of meditation, say 5 minutes a day for the first week?
I found that as the day went on, my chances of meditating got slimmer and slimmer. Now, the first thing I do (after putting on clothes, defecating, brushing my teeth and drinking water) is meditating. It’s a great start to my day. I don’t always feel enthusiastic before doing it but always feel better after it.
Wrapping it up
I hope you’ve found some benefit from this article and are able to commit to this beautiful practise better than before. If you’ve looked at the cost and benefits and chosen not to meditate, no problem. You do you!
How do you ensure you meditate frequently? What benefits have you noticed?