Full steam ahead! Getting things done and doing what we say we'll do is a well known confidence booster. The feeling of success that it brings kicks off further victories, and sometimes we seem to just be on a roll. Sometimes though, when this train is derailed, its really hard to get it back on track.
This is particularly true of our meditation practice. When things get too much for us, we often think 'it isn't too bad if I skip this morning's session, right?'. Correct - missing a session or two will not make the world crumble around you, or throw you into a pit of uncontrollable thoughts. What it will do, however, is break your stride. Missing sessions weakens the resolve to get back into the swing of things, and just gets added to that pile of stress that made you miss in the first place!
I don't think anyone has ever really regretted sitting down for a session of meditation. The relaxed, rejuvenated and confident feeling that one gets from sitting quietly and watching one's thoughts is intoxicating. We almost always rise stronger, more focused and with a more effective mindset. Although there are most certainly 'big' things and 'small' things, important victories and ones a little less so, a part of your mind can't tell the difference - it simply has a win/loss column. That's why seemingly tiny things build up and make us flip our lids, even when the big things are going well. So, admittedly, I would put meditation into the 'small' things category (dynamite in small packages, perhaps?), at least when compared to making rent, getting the kids to school on time, securing that deal etc. This makes it so very easy for most people, especially early in their practice, to let it come and go without really becoming a set part of their lives.
The fact that it is small, however, can be used to your advantage. Thinking again of that win/loss column, you can easily chalk up two victories by penciling-in two 20 minute meditations a day. The commitment you need to stick with them, at first, may be a 'just get it done' mentality. Soon though, sticking to your word regarding your meditation practice will be second nature. As success breeds success, so do these feelings of self-efficacy flow into other parts of your life. Structure, commitment, and effectiveness grow as a habit, and also proportionately to how much you feed them.
Choose a window for your practice, to give yourself some leeway, but then stick to it relentlessly for a week. Commit yourself, for example, to 10 minutes a day between 7-8 AM. No matter what, make that happen. Firstly, you'll have your first win for the day in the bag, and secondly you'll reap the benefits of a still, calm and energized mind! You'll find that once you get that train on track, it gets harder and harder to derail it.
Good luck and much love everyone!
Dean
This is particularly true of our meditation practice. When things get too much for us, we often think 'it isn't too bad if I skip this morning's session, right?'. Correct - missing a session or two will not make the world crumble around you, or throw you into a pit of uncontrollable thoughts. What it will do, however, is break your stride. Missing sessions weakens the resolve to get back into the swing of things, and just gets added to that pile of stress that made you miss in the first place!
I don't think anyone has ever really regretted sitting down for a session of meditation. The relaxed, rejuvenated and confident feeling that one gets from sitting quietly and watching one's thoughts is intoxicating. We almost always rise stronger, more focused and with a more effective mindset. Although there are most certainly 'big' things and 'small' things, important victories and ones a little less so, a part of your mind can't tell the difference - it simply has a win/loss column. That's why seemingly tiny things build up and make us flip our lids, even when the big things are going well. So, admittedly, I would put meditation into the 'small' things category (dynamite in small packages, perhaps?), at least when compared to making rent, getting the kids to school on time, securing that deal etc. This makes it so very easy for most people, especially early in their practice, to let it come and go without really becoming a set part of their lives.
The fact that it is small, however, can be used to your advantage. Thinking again of that win/loss column, you can easily chalk up two victories by penciling-in two 20 minute meditations a day. The commitment you need to stick with them, at first, may be a 'just get it done' mentality. Soon though, sticking to your word regarding your meditation practice will be second nature. As success breeds success, so do these feelings of self-efficacy flow into other parts of your life. Structure, commitment, and effectiveness grow as a habit, and also proportionately to how much you feed them.
Choose a window for your practice, to give yourself some leeway, but then stick to it relentlessly for a week. Commit yourself, for example, to 10 minutes a day between 7-8 AM. No matter what, make that happen. Firstly, you'll have your first win for the day in the bag, and secondly you'll reap the benefits of a still, calm and energized mind! You'll find that once you get that train on track, it gets harder and harder to derail it.
Good luck and much love everyone!
Dean
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