How I made mindfulness work for me
At the time of writing this, I have done 755 consecutive days of meditation. I started this particular streak on the 1st of January 2024 as a new years resolution. Since then, every single day, I’ve opened my meditation app and tracked a mindfulness session. I was committed to the habit regardless of where I was and what I was doing. I meditated during a vacation in a cushy Devon cottage but also when I was lacking a reliable internet connection while working at a remote Ethiopian village.
I have never been the spiritual type of guy and I am by no means an expert on this topic. I have dabbled in meditation before this streak with mixed feelings about it at times. I first tried mindfulness out in college after getting a Headspace (meditation app) trial subscription. Following the first few sessions, my optimizing brain immediately disregarded it as a waste of time. However, I am not the one to give up easily and still gave it a chance. Over time, I reached periods where I meditated daily for a few weeks in a row and it finally clicked for me.
It is hard to describe the positive benefits of meditation. There has been plenty written, much of it confusing and at times misleading. Things like less stress, better focus and more energy are consistently reported in research but they are difficult to measure in our anecdotal experience. At the end of the day, most people do meditation for their own reasons and it certainly doesn’t always work for everyone. To me, the biggest benefit is having moments of intense feeling of existence in the present moment (i.e. mindfulness), which somehow leads to a noticeable happiness and contentment. This effect is rarely noticeable during the meditation itself but rather at random times throughout the day and week. I only start experiencing these when I meditate seriously for a few weeks.
Lowering your expectations about the benefits of meditation will paradoxically makes it much more helpful. I think of meditation as a time to relax. I may not have a productive session and I may not get massive benefit from it. So what? I just had a relaxing moment for a few minutes and nothing of value was lost.
The way you meditate is by far least important part of the equation. I am using the Calm.com app but I do believe that is largely irrelevant. To me guided meditation work better because I am attuned to environmental sound which is my anchor to the present moment. But I can also see how it might be a distraction to some people. A simple timer on your phone or even a physical device works well enough. There are also plenty of free guided meditation apps (Medito is one I have tried and actually enjoyed).
Many people do their meditation in their chairs, couches and beds. Some people get dedicated meditation pillows and others use their yoga mats. I have a foam block which I sit in with my legs crossed, nothing fancy. Sometimes I do a little stretching session just before my meditation to get the blood flowing. Some people need perfect sound isolation but others can deal with sounds. I am fine with some white noise as long as it is not engaging and hence distracting.
I know many people love to do their meditation in the morning. That is awesome, as it can help you start your day right. But remember, it is all about what works best for you. And for me, the meditation session acts as a mental barrier between my job and the rest of the day, so I typically practice after I am done with my work (around 6-7pm). This is particularly relevant because I work from home and it gives me a perfect mental reset.
Most of these 755 days, I meditated for around 10 to 12 minutes. I know some gurus will deem this insufficient but it is what fits into my schedule. It is all about doing the best you can within the many complexities of life. Sometimes, I just open the app and have a couple of minutes of deep breathing. While I try to avoid such scenarios but they happen, especially when traveling or being ill. That is still mediation! I like my 2 years+ streak but I am not attached to it. If I miss a day tomorrow, it will not be the end of the world and all the accumulated benefits will not magically disappear. If streaks motivate you, they might help. If not, they will just add unnecessary stress.
Of course, I’ve repeated multiple times that sticking to what works best for you is good. But even if you are comfortable with your sessions, finding some time to experiment with different locations, tools and approaches can be worthwhile. It can make things much more fun and engaging, especially after years of mundane practice.
There is no perfect solution to sticking to this habit and it might not even be worthwhile for everyone. But for me, the following things made it stick for over 2 years now:
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