If you’ve never tried meditating, it can feel a little overwhelming to start. Right now, take a few breaths and notice what comes to mind when you ponder meditating.
- Does it sound boring?
- Does it feel restrictive?
- Are the feelings that you won’t be good at it?
- Does it feel too easy?
- Does it feel like not enough?
- Do you get excited thinking about doing this?
- Does this seem like something other people do?
- Do you look down on it as something that might seem uninformed, uneducated, or maybe even as enlightened?
Okay, cool. Whatever came up for you, be honest with yourself. Isn’t it interesting to notice what you think about it? Try not to worry too much about why you might think or feel these things right now. Just notice that you have these preconceived notions about meditation. Allow for those thoughts or feelings to be present.
Now, I invite you, however you feel, to be curious and open about meditation moving forward. Please be willing to try this out with an open mind. Come to this practice with a beginner’s mindset, ready to learn about your breath and brain and what it is like to sit with yourself.
Join me in meditating for 40 days! Meditation has both mental and physical benefits. Research has proven that a consistent meditation practice can alter your brain function for the better and help reduce anxiety.
Last year I started a meditation practice. It became a way for me to get back to my breath and kind of back to square one. There’s something interesting that happened when I started meditating regularly. I was able to look outside myself more, react a little less, and respond from a centered place a little more. While I make no promises that it will also happen to you, the American Psychology Association says that meditation is a research-proven way to reduce stress.
If this seems like something fun or at least worth trying, commit yourself to being open to the possibility of what meditation could do in your life and join me on this 40-day meditation challenge.
Forty days is a significant time for many of the world’s religions. The Jewish tradition tells the story of Noah in the Torah, where it rained for forty days and forty nights. In the Christian tradition, there are forty days of Lent, and Jesus was in the desert fasting for forty days before he began his ministry. In the Sikh religion (which corresponds to Kundalini Yoga), forty-day cycles are also significant. The Persian branch of Islam has a solitary ritual called chilla (translates to 40), where you fast for 40 days and 40 nights. After a woman gives birth in India, she takes a period of confinement and recovery known as jaappa that lasts for 40 days. It’s interesting to note that your body renews all the cells in your blood every 40 days.
Start the Challenge
- Plan meditation into your day –
Carve aside some time right now, put it in your planner. The time doesn’t have to be extensive, but it should be daily, at least for this exercise. So think right now what time of day this could fit and how much time to commit to. Some people find first thing in the morning is perfect, or right before you start your work day as a transition. Really it is up to you, but be strategic and plan this into your routine. - Be consistent –
Gretchen Rubin, a researcher exploring happiness and good habits, talks about the “don’t break the chain” habit tracker. You may be more likely to keep up a habit if you strive to not break the chain. - Give yourself grace if you break the chain –
Know that life happens and it is not absolutely horrible to miss a day, but try not to miss two. The more days you miss in a row, the easier it is to abandon. If you miss a day, know it is even more important to pick up the following day. - Think about why you want to do this –
Take 5 minutes and write why you want to start or try a meditation practice. Knowing why you want to do a challenge helps you be intentional in the challenge. - Choose your meditation adventure –
My next post will be more of a how-to of meditation. I will send out some videos, but choose whatever meditation you like and feel free to change it up. This is for you, so do whatever feels like it would support you at this time in your life. If you are looking into making this a religious practice, it can even be a centering prayer.
I created this little PDF to print out and check off each time you meditate. Feel free to use this to track. You can even get stickers or write the minutes you’ve meditated. This printout is simply a tool. If it isn’t your thing, that is okay too.
It’s my hope and, honestly, my prayer that by doing this work even three minutes a day, you’ll see real improvement in your life. I hope it is healing internally and externally.
