In recent years, meditation has been gaining popularity.
I am receiving more and more inquiries from people interested in learning to meditate, and it is certainly something that makes me happy. Whether to reduce stress and anxiety, or to improve the quality of life in general, I always recommend introducing the practice of Mindfulness into your daily routine.
However, although science has provided knowledge about the many benefits that this practice brings us (emotional, mental, physical and inner peace) The reality is that it is not easy to start meditating It is common to see that people start out full of enthusiasm, just to try, and as the days go by they are not able to find a time to practice.
And it shouldn’t surprise us. We are used to not stopping doing things, not “wasting time” with activities that are not immediately useful, and avoiding boredom. This is how the beginner, almost without realizing it, invents multiple excuses not to meditate.
Mindfulness requires practice
When I started myself, I quickly became an expert of “tomorrow never happens.” I loved the idea that meditation represents, the benefits it brings, and it was also very good to say that I practiced Mindfulness. However, when push came to shove, he procrastinated again and again.
In the end I was lucky enough to live near a Buddhist monastery and asked to participate in several retreats, thereby putting myself in a situation where I would have looked very bad if I didn’t go. I was very happy to do it. I stopped putting pressure on myself to strictly meet my goals and I realized that I could enjoy meditating, in fact I liked it
Mindfulness: the common excuses of beginners
Therefore, if you are starting or plan to start soon in this meditation, I would like to share with you these tips that can help you overcome the five main common excuses:
1. I don’t have time
This is undoubtedly the most repeated and perhaps the most absurd of all. We’re all busy, yes, but We always have five minutes to dedicate to ourselves
Many beginners believe that they have to start with 30 minutes of meditation a day and that is a big mistake. The key is to progress. Set a simple goal, for example 5 minutes a day the first week until you can meditate a minimum of 20 minutes a day. Create the habit of spending 5 minutes a day and gradually increase to 8, 10 minutes, and so on, is the best way to feel comfortable with this practice. Think that just 10 minutes of daily meditation already gives you numerous benefits.
2. I get bored
The beginner meditator’s biggest enemy is boredom, and frankly I understand that. An activity that consists of doing nothing does not sound particularly attractive.
But friend, doing nothing is already doing something. And it’s something really difficult. Let someone guide you at the beginning, practice guided meditation to make it less boring There are also meditations of very different types, some are based on certain topics that may be more attractive to you or on repeating mantras. This makes it more enjoyable as it reduces the impression that you are doing nothing.
3. I don’t do it well
One of the biggest difficulties in meditating is setting expectations or repeating to yourself “everyone meditates well except me.”
If you can’t concentrate on your breathing because different thoughts keep coming to you, such as your shopping list, your weekend plans, or how bored you are, congratulations! That’s because you’re doing great. The goal of Mindfulness meditation is just that, observe all the thoughts that are going through your mind Simply observe them, accept that you have been distracted, and return to paying attention to your breathing until the next distraction comes.
4. I have something important to do
You are meditating and suddenly one of the thoughts that distracts you makes you realize that you have actually forgotten something important that you have to do.
You can’t stop thinking about it, so this time, you convince yourself that this meditation is not going to be of any use. Mistake! The more distracted the better, so you don’t get bored. Notice how distracted and nervous you are Be aware of your rapid breathing and how much you care about whatever you have to do. Cheer up, after all, in just ten minutes you can do it.
5. I don’t know where to start
A good idea would be to start at the beginning. Simply sit and pay attention to your breathing, a sound or an external object You do not need anything else. No classical music in the background, no scented candles, no being able to sit in the lotus flower position. Just make yourself comfortable but don’t rest your head, keep it upright so you don’t fall asleep. Notice how you breathe and the way you exhale and inhale the air. AND… voilaYou are already meditating!
I hope these little tips have convinced you to tear down those excuses we all make for not meditating and really try it. When you least expect it, you will discover that you are hooked!
