Developing a meditation practice can be challenging in large part because we aren't used to being still and doing nothing. Here are some useful tips for building your meditation practice:

• Try meditating the same time and place. Select a time of the day (preferably in the morning) that’s convenient and in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.
• Meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. When you meditate you are simply trying to be with your thoughts, not stop negative thoughts from coming.
• If you feel sleepy, don’t judge yourself. Pay attention to your posture. Sit upright and keep your spine erect. Try meditating first thing in the morning. The feeling of sleepiness usually lessens as you practice.
• For a formal practice you might consider using a meditation app. There are several mindfulness and meditation apps (for example: Calm, Headspace) you can download to your smart phone. Guided meditation apps make it easier to develop your practice because all you must do is follow along.
• To build a meditation practice, focus on maintaining consistency. If you feel like you want to expand your practice, try lengthening your daily sessions or meditating more often each day.
• If you are having trouble getting motivated, meditate for a short amount of time (3 to 5 minutes). As you build your daily habit, you can lengthen the time you spend meditating.
• If you get tense while meditating, that’s fine. Just notice it and try to avoid judging yourself as doing it wrong. The key is to notice what is going on. Noticing that you are tense is, in fact, doing it right. Feeling tension is a sign that you are working too hard to direct your focus to your breath. Ideally, you should feel yourself dropping into the awareness of the breath, not forcing it. If you feel tense, focus on relaxing your body and mind with each exhalation.
• If you get lost in your mind wandering, this is normal and happens to everyone. If, however, your mind is so busy that you can’t focus, try labeling each inhale and exhale. Each time you breathe in, make a mental note of “inhale.” Each time you breathe out, make a mental note of “exhale.” Once your attention stabilizes, you can drop the labeling and just focus on the sensation of breathing.

Activity: Starting your meditation practice

Commit to a "daily" meditation practice. Setting aside the same time and location will help you develop a habit of meditating each day. With that in mind, write out your plan for starting a meditation practice. For example: “I commit to using the Calm app to meditate 10 minutes every morning in the living room of my house.”

Contact me to get help developing your meditation practice. We can schedule a free phone consultation to discuss how meditating regularly can improve your life. 

Source: Adapted from an article in Mindful Magazine