6 Ways Meditation Beginners Can Make Meditation A Daily Habit
Meditation is exploding in popularity and mainstream acceptance as more and more people realize the benefits. Life can be very demanding with deadlines, household responsibilities, financial goals, personal goals – there are many things that demand your attention every day.
To actually achieve your goals in all the different areas of life, you need to develop a laser like focus and strong willpower. If you can’t concentrate on anything, you’ll always be mediocre.
As the great spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda said,
“Will is the switch that controls everything in this universe. If you don’t exercise your willpower, you will be a weakling, easily influenced by your environment”. – Paramahansa Yogananda
Mindfulness meditation or any other technique can not only help you feel relaxed, it also helps you develop a strong will power.
1. Do it Anywhere and Anytime – Meditation Beginners
You don’t need any fancy equipment to practice meditation. You can do it while standing in a queue by observing your breath and physical sensations, on a city bus, in the bathroom at work, on a park bench, and so on.
Beginners need to know that it’s not necessary to be in an absolutely quiet place to meditate. You can practice meditation as long as the noise around you is consistent and not discordant.
2. Link Meditation to A Daily Activity – Meditation Beginners
Neuroscience says that our brain forms associations with our environment and our daily behaviors. So if link meditation to a daily activity, such as after brushing your teeth or before having lunch, it’ll automatically remind you to meditate at that time.
3. Make it Much Easier With Guided Meditation – Meditation Beginners
Most people don’t meditate because they find it difficult or are confused about the process. Guided meditation can help us just sit back and relax while following the instructions.
Having someone experienced lead the session with breathing techniques, visualization, and mantras is incredibly helpful. Normally we have to make the conscious effort to be attentive and observe our breath or visualize. But with guided meditation, we can get into “the zone” much easier.
Don’t feel badly if you find yourself too restless to meditate deeply. Calmness will come in time, if you practice regularly. Just never accept the thought that meditation is not for you. Remember, calmness is your eternal, true nature. – Paramahansa Yogananda
4. Schedule Meditation Every Day – Meditation Beginners
Don’t write it on your to-do list. Be very specific. Pick a time slot.
Why? For everyone, especially beginners, it’s a natural tendency to fall back to old behaviors and rationalize it by believing “something important has come up”. Specifying a particular time will solidify your commitment.
5. Create A Dedicated Space – Meditation Beginners
You don’t need to have a separate room to meditate. Just a corner in your room where you slightly change the decor to make it visually calm and relaxing will help more than you think.
To make an appropriate space you can put bolsters, blankets, a buddha photo on the wall, incense, spiritual books and so on. A dedicated space for meditation will feel inviting and make it a lasting habit.
6. Track Your Progress To Feel Motivated – Meditation Beginners
Harvard researcher Teresa Amabile found that the most powerful motivator in the workplace is small, daily progress. And the most damaging thing was failures or setbacks. The amazing thing is that this wisdom applies to any habit you want to form.
Beginners should install an app on their phone that helps them track their meditation habits. The popular meditation app, Headspace, uses the power of progress too by giving badges for completing 3 Days, 10 Days, 15 Days, 30 Days, 90 Days. 180 Days. 365 Days, and so on.
Use the power of progress to keep your streak going and feel motivated every single day!