Tips for Beginner Meditators
Ever since I wrote this post a year and a half ago, I have seen more articles online on the benefits of meditation and it seems to be more popular than ever before. This is a good thing! I personally believe that meditation has changed my life and has the potential to do the same for anyone who tries it. If you have just started meditating or have thought about starting, here are a few things I wish people told me when I began to make it a habit in my life.
Start small
If you’ve never meditated before, sitting down and meditating for ten or fifteen minutes a day may sound easy. However, once you start you’ll realize how difficult it really is. If you set your goal too high to begin with, you’ll be more likely to deem the practice too difficult and give it up entirely. I recommend that anyone interested in meditating start at five minutes a day and work their way up gradually. If five minutes still feels like too much, you could even start with one minute a day when you first wake up. Just sit upright at your bedside, focus on your breath for one minute and then start your day. If you start small, you’re more likely to maintain the habit, even when your willpower is low.
Meditate at the same time of day
I meditate in the morning, after I have woken up, done my morning workout, showered and had breakfast. This works best for me as working out gives me the energy to focus and I’m not distracted by hunger. Meditating at the same time every day also acts as a trigger for your new meditation habit. If you meditate right before or after something you know you do every day, like eat a meal, it will be easier for your brain to attach your new habit to the old one.
Stick with it daily, even if it means shorter sessions
As I mentioned, starting small will help you maintain your new habit more effectively. Currently I meditate for fifteen minutes a day, and my longest meditation session was twenty. However, if one day I find myself with little willpower to meditate, or I have a busy day where I need to get a lot of stuff done, I will meditate for only five minutes instead of not meditating at all. Prioritizing meditation in my daily routine, regardless of the length of time, has helped me be more mindful in my daily life.
Use a guided meditation app, if only to start
There are a lot of great meditation apps out there. While I use Headspace, there are others like Calm and 10% Happier. I like meditation apps because I find the guided meditations useful, and while you can find these on YouTube as well, an app allows you to set reminders so that you never forget to meditate. My favourite feature of Headspace is “Everyday Headspace” which is a new guided meditation released every day. I personally find this more useful than going through the themed packs, although those are there as well if you prefer.
The benefits come with time, don’t expect too much right away
In our hyper-consumerist society, we often expect that when we purchase a new product or engage in a new activity, we will see benefits or results immediately. This is not the case with meditation. You’re not going to do your first meditation session and immediately feel like you are more mindful or have a deeper connection with the present moment. In this way, meditation is similar to exercise where you don’t see the physical results of your work unless you stick with it for a long period of time. It can take weeks or even months for you to lose weight or build muscle. If you practice meditation daily, eventually you will notice that you are more calm, more patient, and more mindful of your thoughts and emotions. So don’t give up on it in the first few weeks, even if it feels like you’re wasting your time. Trust me, you’re not.
Don’t beat yourself up for not “doing it right”
This is the most important piece of advice I can give you, which is why I’ve saved it for last. A lot of people have misconceptions about meditation. They think you have to “clear your mind” or avoid thinking. This is not true. When practicing mindfulness meditation, the idea is to draw your attention to the breath as much as you can. Unavoidably, your thoughts will wander, and this does not mean that you’re “doing it wrong” or failing at meditation. On the contrary, every time your thoughts wander, and you’re able to gently bring your attention back to your breath, that is a success! Many people give up on meditation as they become insecure or feel that they’re “not cut out for it.” Even if your mind wanders hundreds of times in a session, as long as you’re taking the time to sit down every day, close your eyes, and try your best, you are meditating correctly. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day, either. Habits don’t have to be perfect as long as breaking from them is the exception and not the norm.
Are there any other issues that come up for you when you try to meditate? Do you have any other tips for people starting out? If so, drop a comment below. You might end up helping someone!
