Source: http://www.sonima.com/meditation/meditation-motivation/
You know you should meditate. Your mom/therapist/boyfriend/boss has said that you, in particular, for some reason, really should meditate. You tried it once or twice. It was hard. It didn’t stick. But you want it to. You really want a consistent meditation practice.
The good news is that you’re not alone. Every day I meet with people who want to start a consistent practice, have the best intentions for doing so, but can’t keep it going for more than a few weeks at a time. I have previously offered advice here on Sonima about how to get a meditation practice going, but I failed to mention the number one thing you need to do to make sure you don’t ever fall off the meditation wagon:
You need to be kind to yourself.
I know, I know—what a surprise that the Buddhist teacher will tell you that you need to be kind to yourself. But it’s true. If you don’t abide by this one piece of advice you will lose momentum in your practice. Here’s why:
The Technique May Be Simple but It’s Not Easy
The most basic meditation instruction I offer is one based in coming back to the breath, over and over again. Very simple, right? But our minds are prone to distraction. They are constantly generating thoughts all day long, so if you think meditation is going to magically trigger some switch and turn off your thinking you are sadly mistaken. Instead, meditation will help you become more focused and present …