Make Meditation Work for You

Make it easy enough that you’ll stick with it (because it’s always worth it)

Committing to daily meditation hasn’t always come easy for me, and honestly sometimes it still doesn’t. I’m currently not as consistent as I would like to be, but certain practices do help—especially remembering why meditation matters to me, and how it positively impacts my body, my mind, and my day (and life) as a whole.

Learning to infuse mindfulness into everyday life is powerful, too—same goes for mindful movement. I can see how it could be weird to believe that sitting still and focusing your attention could be even more transformative, but the results are real.

Something that works for me—and something I share with coaching clients who struggle with consistency—is to make it easy for yourself by setting yourself up for it.

This is just like you would set yourself up for a morning walk by leaving sneakers by the front door, set yourself up for a nourishing breakfast by prepping overnight oats, or set up your weekly calendar so you feel organized and ready to roll. Setting yourself up for meditation can be a gentle yet practical kickstarter to get you going.

Even when meditation becomes second-nature, life still happens and gets in the way. I meditated every morning for over a year until I caught a nice lil’ virus and spent a week mostly in bed. Since then, for whatever reason, a day gets skipped here and there.

If meditation is important to you like it is to me, the most important thing we can do is figure out how to make it work for us—even if it still feels challenging (i.e. the whole “quieting the mind” thing, or finding time in general). Some days it flows, some days it takes discipline and a loving nudge, but it’s pretty much always worth it.

Read the science if you want more proof of the benefits, but the proof is really in the pudding. Try it and see for yourself 🙂

Make meditation work for you

Here are 9 simple tips I shuffle through to make meditation feel approachable and easy enough to stick with. Personalize whatever resonates to make it work for you:

1. Know your WHY.
   Consider why you want to meditate. What positive shifts do you you hope to experience / have you already experienced—mood, energy, sleep, communication, emotional resilience? The WHY can help empower and motivate you.
2. Plan ahead.
   If it’s feasible and feels useful, choose a general or specific time of day you’ll meditate—like morning, before bed, or after lunch. Or just choose to meditate for a moment instead of scrolling through social media during downtime.
3. Meditate before tech.
   If you’re aiming for a morning meditation, play with setting the intention to look at devices after your practice. I definitely don’t always nail this, but I always feel better when I do.
4. Create a cozy space.
   Set up an area of your living space where you’ll feel grounded and as calm as possible. Create a little altar with meaningful objects if it feels aligned, light a candle, sit by a sunny window. It neither has to by fancy nor permanent.
5. Set up a comfortable seat.
   Arrange a supportive seat like a meditation cushion, pillow(s), block(s), or a chair so you can sit upright and avoid slouching into slumber. If you have back, hip, or knee pain, you can sit with your back against a wall or elevate your seat.
6. Choose your own adventure.
   Use guided meditations from a teacher you like, remain in silence, silently repeat a mantra, or try ambient music like Binaural Beats (I sometimes keep this on all day tbh)—whatever helps you settle. I love to use an Om track on Insight Timer.
7. Don’t judge.
   Some days feel zen and chill, some days feel like a circus. Sometimes I’m seated and still, sometimes I pop headphones in for a guided meditation while on public transportation or during walks. Do what’s possible, and know that it might not always be ideal.
8. Take your time.
   Set a timer for 5-20+ minutes—however long you have time for—and keep returning your attention to a meditation anchor like breath, sensations, sounds, mantra, etc. Pause for a few deep breaths before you re-enter into the world.
   P.S. A timer isn’t necessary, but you do you 🙂
9. Notice how you feel.
   Awareness helps reinforce why meditation matters, and helps you discern which techniques do or don’t work for you. Gratitude and appreciation helps build consistency, no matter how your meditation unfolded.

Get more meditation resources & tools on Subsatck—read, support & subscribe there.

Why is meditation important to you, and what helps you stay consistent with it?

Take good care,

S