Let's call it "Silent Sitting"
You're better at Meditating than you think.
Meditation is often misunderstood, and I'll be the first to admit that I barely understand it myself. Sitting still, focusing on nothing but my breath, seemed impossible. I was one of those people who would say, "I'm not good at this; sitting still is very hard for me to do."
What’s your excuse? Headspace lists seventeen common ones here.
One day, I decided to stop making excuses and try it.
To my surprise, it worked. Let me clarify: this wasn’t some mind-bending experience like Neo coming out of the Matrix. It was simply me sitting intentionally for a short period, focusing on nothing but my breathing and the present moment.
Was I doing it perfectly? I have no idea. But that didn’t seem to matter as much as the fact that I was doing it at all.
Here’s the thing: You should try it. I dare you.
But don’t call it meditation. If that word feels too loaded or intimidating, call it "silent sitting." Imagine a kid learning to ride a bike, convinced they can’t do it until they begrudgingly try—and then, suddenly, they’re doing it.
That’s what this felt like for me.
Need some motivation? Give Yogi Bryan a try.
So, give "silent sitting" a try. You might surprise yourself.
“You should try it. I dare you.”
Bill, bringing the heat!
Meditation has had tremendous benefits for me. I took a class in “Eastern Thought” in college and part of it was this very official meditation class. I loved it but didn’t know how it would translate to part of my routine. Then Headspace Guided Meditations gave me the “structure” I needed to slide back into it a few years ago. Now I just put on meditation music from YouTube and a timer and take my moment. I also think people are under the impression that you have to meditate for extended periods for it to be effective, and that’s so not true! Sometimes taking a 5-10 minute break from your day to focus on your breathing can make a HUGE difference in your mental state!