“I have tried meditation but I can’t get my mind to switch off.”
Is mindfulness really for everyone?
This was a question I had in a mindfulness workshop I taught for a Victorian regulatory body last week and one I get often.
My answer is yes, mindfulness really can benefit anyone.
The paradox is that the harder our mind is to switch off, the more we will benefit from it. This is because mindful techniques, such as guided meditation, are designed to give us time out from day to day worries and constant stimulation and become aware of our thoughts without judgement.
So if you struggle with practising mindfulness, here are some tips to help:
- Don’t try to empty your mind of thoughts: Every time you become aware of your racing mind, that is success and your nervous system is getting a break. You will feel the cumulative benefits over time with regular practice.
- Redefine success: simply putting time aside to meditate is a success. What can be hard is becoming aware of the racing and over-analytical mind. This puts people off as it feels really uncomfortable simply because it’s a new habit, but this is actually a great sign you are on the right track.
- Be mindful of the pace of your life: if you are running around like a headless chicken all day in back to back meetings, then a 10 min mindfulness practice will feel super hard. This is because your habits can switch your mind into overdrive throughout the day so that momentum will take longer to settle.
Ready to start or get your practice back on track? Try this 20 min guided meditation I created using the metaphor of ‘The Storm’ to help calm a racing mind.
