Meditating every day has improved my life more than anything else. More than changing careers (though that’s been huge). More than going to therapy (though that’s been huge too). It’s my cheat code.
No matter your goal—whether it’s being more present in your relationship or stopping an unhealthy habit or being more productive at work or being less productive so you stop wearing yourself out—you have to do something to consistently relax your nervous system. And meditation is a super effective way for doing that.
Here are the exact steps I took a handful of years back:
- I went to a few meditation classes that showed me how to meditate and how great it could make me feel. (Google “meditation class” or “meditation teacher” to find someone local. If you need help in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, email me!)
- I signed up for a weekend meditation retreat and experienced a deep peace in my mind and calm in my body I’d never felt before. (Email me if you want tips on retreats to do.)
- I downloaded the (free) Insight Timer app and found a few short meditations by my favorite teacher (Tara Brach).
- I committed to meditating every day, no matter what, even if it was just half-assing it for five minutes right before bed.
- When I occasionally missed a day or two, I tried to see it not as a failure but as an inevitable bump in the road to starting a daily habit to be more mindful.
- After about a year, I started meditating without the recordings of Brach guiding me, and stretched my meditations to 20 minutes a day, usually in the morning.
- Now I meditate for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon (right when I’m starting to lose steam and want to veg out on Instagram or YouTube).
Basically, I started super small and built from there. Your path might end up looking different. But if you have any questions about any of these steps, email me!