Meditation Excuses
You have heard all of the benefits of meditation, but you still don’t have a regular practice. Life and other responsibilities get in the way and you don’t really know where to start. Below I am outlining some of the common excuses to not meditate and what to do about them. But first, a refresher on the potential benefits of a regular meditation practice:
Increased focus
Increased life satisfaction
Reduced anxiety
Increased mental resilience
More effectively deal with stress
Reduction in irritability
Increased compassion
Increased self-awareness
Here are some of the common excuses I have heard about starting a meditation practice and what you can do to overcome them.
I don’t have time. Those days when you think you don’t have time to meditate are probably the days when you are stressed and need to meditate the most. It is something that you will have to prioritize and I know plenty of people who have kids, their own businesses, and endless obligations who are able to fit in their meditation. It doesn’t have to be perfect - maybe on those days, you meditate for 5 minutes instead of 10, or meditate in the airport instead of your usual spot. Get creative and you can make it happen on even your busiest days.
I have too many thoughts. Of course you do, we all do. Everyone has thousands of thoughts a day - that is the point of meditation. A common misconception with meditation is that you are supposed to clear your mind of all thoughts. Instead of freaking out about every thought that comes into your mind, focus on your breathing and on not engaging with those thoughts. One of my favorite explanations I have heard is to think of your thoughts as clouds passing by. You just watch and observe them drifting. No need to push them away or engage with them, just let them float on by. And if you happen to spend your meditation session just worrying about what you have to do later, show up again tomorrow, and try again.
I skipped a few days and ruined my practice. Progress, not perfection. Doing it most days is better than never doing it. Meditating for one minute a day is better than never meditating. Do the best that you can and don’t judge yourself when things inevitably don’t go perfectly.
I don’t notice a difference. This is not a magical, overnight solution to all of your problems. While a consistent meditation practice can have a number of benefits (see above), everyone is different and it can take some time to notice the results. But focus on how you feel before/after. Do you feel more at ease? More present? Are you more focused on the days you meditate? Less irritable? More in tune with your body? Notice the subtle improvements and stick with it consistently.
I am not sure I am doing this right. There is no perfectly right way to meditate. Some days it will be easy and you feel great after, some days it will be super annoying to sit there for 10 days and you will go right back to your stressful thoughts. Just continue to show up and do it.
I am afraid to get quiet and be alone with my thoughts. This is an interesting and common one. There are so many distractions out there that you really could always avoid being alone with your thoughts. But there are so many benefits to having that quiet time. And dealing with those thoughts that you are avoiding makes them so much less scary - what you are avoiding won’t go away. Getting quiet with those thoughts will allow you to deal with them and view things in a more objective manner. You can also start small, with just a few minutes, and build up to longer meditations.
I don’t know where to start. There are so many different ways to get started with meditation. You can try an app that has a specific program you can follow (I enjoy Headspace). You can experiment with different mantra meditations. Or you can start simple and just set a timer for 10 minutes and sit quietly for that time. Experiment with different methods and find what you most enjoy. I promise that starting a consistent meditation practice will have an outsized impact on your life!
