Thoughts, Begone!

I want to love meditation, I really do. Influencers like Tony Robbins and Oprah swear by the practice, as do any number of my friends and colleagues.

I have dabbled in meditation here and there, mainly by partaking in the 21-day challenges that Oprah and Deepak offer periodically. Periodically I get inspired by something and tell myself that I’ll meditate every morning, or every evening, and this usually works for a while. But, despite my efforts, I’m far from mastering the skill of stilling the mind. There’s just so much going on there, which leads to endless mind chatter.

Family stuff, obviously: What’s for dinner, does my daughter need rides anywhere today, how’s my mom doing, am I prepared for the holidays? I really need to ship out my Christmas gifts… But first I have to buy them. What the heck do my sisters want? What about my mother-in-law? What was for dinner again?

Then there’s my business: Did we deliver all the files our clients are waiting for? Which employees are off this week and how are we going to manage the work flow? What about invoices and cash coming in? Are the bills going to be paid? Can we be paid? Speaking of being paid, we have to submit health insurance paperwork and new payroll forms… I need to write a script and do my social media. Oh, and the newsletter, and prepare for the call later today.

And my book: I really have to finish editing. It’s way overdue. Is this even a good book? Maybe I should just start the next one… But this one needs the workbook to be finished. I guess I should work on that. And then publicity. I have to start sending out some press releases!

Yes. Welcome to my brain. There’s a lot going on in there… And sometimes it seems the more I try to be quiet, the more chatty that brain of mine gets! Meditation can feel good for a few minutes, and then it turns into a struggle inside my own head as I try to find a respite from all of those thoughts. Knowing that my meditation efforts are likely to end up in this struggle sometimes derails me before I even get started.

And yet.

I have actually been lucky enough to have had  a teeny tiny glimpse into the magic of meditation. There were moments when I really and truly understood that the expansive universe is found within. I felt it, I saw it, I knew it, and it was incredible.  That fleeting moment and others like it are what keep me coming back to meditation, even though I find it so very challenging. There is something there… something healing, something magical, something important.

For all of these reasons, doing a recent interview with Kirsten Pancras for this week’s podcast was part of a huge “ah-ha” moment for me. Kirsten is an expert on meditation, specifically on reaping the benefits of the practice by cleverly fitting it into a busy schedule. For example, did you know that you can meditate IN THE SHOWER? I had no idea that was even a thing! Kirsten works a lot with busy moms who have small children, and I think that demographic is exactly what made her so adaptable and resourceful with how she talks about and promotes meditation.

I recommend having a listen to the podcast, and then trying some of the tricks that Kirsten shares. They say that anything worthwhile is worth working at and I think meditation is no exception. Follow the links above to the podcast audio and also to links on Kirsten’s pages where you can access free short guided meditations. Knowing that you can find opportunities to meditate for short amounts of time – standing in line at the market, while you’re out for a walk, or even in your shower – makes incorporating this practice into your life not only accessible, but also possible, so why not start today?