I Tried Meditation For 30 Days, And Let’s Just Say I Really Love Yoga

Ok, I’ll be honest, I always thought meditation was probably the least productive thing a person could do besides maybe napping. Admittedly, I am always on the go and have trouble ever being still. I feel like I need to be productive ALL the time (I know, I know…this is something to unpack with a therapist).

So I challenged myself to try and meditate every day for 30 days, even if only for ten minutes. I wanted to see what everyone else seemed to find so life changing. My intentions were pure and I set out to meet my goal. Except, things did NOT go as planned.

Meditation — The Start

My first time, I sat in one of the quieter rooms in my house (my life is chaos which is a whole other subject for therapy, no doubt). I set my intention in my mind. And then I….fidgeted, tried to get comfy, thought of all the things I should be doing instead…you can see where this is going, right?

Second day — determination sets in. I sit. I struggle to get comfortable. My thoughts race. The doorbell rings. The dogs come and climb all over me. My husband calls from the bottom of the stairs. Another fail.

Basically by the fifth day, I gave up. Meditation just isn’t my freaking journey. And you know what? That’s ok. Letting myself off the hook for a goal I set was actually kind of a big deal for me. I’ve always been very “If I say I’m going to do something, I do it” and honestly sometimes that mindset made me stay in situations that were no longer serving me. Situations I should have gotten out of so much earlier except that stubborn determination wouldn’t let me fail.

Yoga & Meditation

So I quit mediating. But guess what I did? I called my daughter’s friend who is a fantastic yoga instructor (read the article she wrote for us) and I asked her to start training me in yoga. I know every yoga class ends in savasana and that’s kind of like meditation, no? Plus I’d be getting a workout in and managing my stress. And with someone coming to the house to train me, it gives me a sense of accountability. So for the last month I’ve been training with her, and doing yoga has given me such a sense of calm. 

Maybe I didn’t succeed at my meditation challenge, but I found something that does work for me and I’m loving the benefits of yoga. I think the answer is to do whatever works for you personally and be ok with letting go of the things that don’t.

Have you tried meditating? Any tips for newbies? Share with us in the comments!

For More Articles On Meditation, Check These Out:

Need A Mindfulness Hack? Our Favorite Meditation Apps Will Help

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