No motivation to meditate? Try These 8 Tips – Live Well Zone

Whether you’ve been meditating for a while or are new to it, there are often days when you have No motivation to meditate.

In fact, the more you try to motivate yourself, the more resistance to meditation increases.

You could end up feeling like something is wrong with you because all the experts say meditation is good for you. And here you are not motivated to do what is convenient for you.

Well, before you beat yourself up any more, here are some tips to keep in mind when you just don’t want to meditate.

HOW TO GET AND STAY MOTIVATED TO MEDITATE

1. Define your why

Deciding to meditate is like deciding to start an exercise routine. It is a new habit that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

So it really helps to have a strong why.

For example, I remember when I was a kid realizing that if I started exercising early, it would keep my heart, joints, and bones healthy.

In my mind, I saw myself at 80, 90, or 100 years old, still able to tie my shoes and pull up my granny panties (not diapers!) without help.

That became my why.

So, I was intentionally exercising (dancing, gymnastics, Jane Fonda videos) because I wanted to invest in my future.

If she had decided to do it simply because she wanted to look skinny like the girls in Teeny Bopper magazines, I doubt she would have gone that far.

The same goes for meditation. You need a solid, unwavering reason why you’re doing it.

If you don’t have that reason, dig deeper to find out.

2. Set the right expectations

The “marketing” around meditation says that it will help us release all stress, manifest our dreams and bring us tremendous joy.

But no one talks about the fact that meditation can be a very dark, painful, and lonely journey.

The infamous dark night of the soul.

No one mentions the fact that when we sit down to meditate, a lot of what comes up isn’t really rosy.

It is not surprising, then, that we lose motivation. The reality does not match the sales pitch.

But the problem is not meditation. the problem is ours expectation about meditation.

So if you have meditation expectations clouding your judgment, then it might be time to let them go.

Instead, view meditation as drinking water. You do both every day because it’s just part of taking care of yourself.

3. Change it

Sometimes the lack of motivation stems from boredom with our current meditation routine. If that sounds like you, then look for ways to rekindle the spark.

For example:

Try a different type of meditation than usual. Perhaps do a walking meditation instead of your usual sitting meditation. Try a silent meditation if you usually do guided meditations. Meditate with a group if you’re usually a lone wolf. Try visualization meditation if you normally only focus on your breath.

Buy a new meditation cushion or invest in specific meditation attire.

Change the time of day during which you meditate.

Meditate in a different room.

The change doesn’t have to be huge. All you are doing is giving your brain a new experience.

That might be enough to revitalize and inspire you.

4. Avoid making it a chore

Most of us have too many things to do. And very often, meditation ends up becoming just another task.

If this is the case for you, then you’ll want to go back to the first point above: Define your why.

When you have a strong reason to meditate, it’s less likely to feel like a chore or obligation.

It goes from being something that you have do, to something that you get do.

When that change happens, the whole concept of motivation just disappears.

5. Remember, it’s not a competition

Sometimes we hear about people manifesting something important after just a few days of meditation or visualization.

Or people who healed their bodies with meditation.

And then we look at our own lives. We notice that nothing has improved as a result of regular meditation.

So we feel defeated. Or like “it’s not working”.

But we all have a unique path. Comparing, particularly when it comes to meditation, will definitely crush your motivation.

6. Make meditation a journey, not a destination

The term meditation practice it exists for a reason. It is something that you practice repeatedly so that you can cultivate the habit.

But like all habits that don’t yet feel like second nature to us, there will be bumps from time to time.

So be patient with yourself and keep practicing.

Eventually, your brain and the cells in your body will begin to pick up this new habit.

And you will reach a point where you feel “off” if you don’t meditate.

7. Keep it simple and comfortable

Finding ways to reduce the amount of physical and mental pressure that comes with your meditation can help you look forward to it.

For example:

If you’re not flexible, don’t insist on doing an hour-long meditation in the lotus position. Instead, do it lying down or sitting in a chair.

Don’t be afraid to lean your back on a chair or even the back of a sofa. While there are certainly benefits to meditating with a straight back, holding your back upright can create tension. This means that your nervous system will not be as relaxed as it could be (which defeats the purpose of meditation). So lie down if you must.

Set small, achievable goals. This means don’t take up the challenge to meditate for an hour if your practice is fairly new. Do 10 or 15 minutes. Your way of working.

8. Take a break when you need it

Meditation has been a regular part of my life for the last 9 years.

Sometimes I have a crisis of faith and decide to stop for a few days.

Yet every time I pause, I notice how much more disconnected I am from myself.

Those pauses give me clarity. Basically, they are an opportunity to reevaluate what is most important to me.

And I always choose meditation. Because for me, there is no object or person that equals the feeling of being connected to something deeper.

So take a break if you need to. Perhaps the pause will give you clarity on whether you should go back to meditating or give it up completely.

Honor the answer that appears.

CONCLUSION

Maintaining a meditation practice is not easy. And at the end of the day, only you can decide what can help keep you motivated for your practice.

I hope the tips I shared help you find the right path for you.

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