How (and why) To Change How You Think About Mindfulness

Most people think meditation just isn’t doable in a normal life.

Have some kind of monk-like mindfulness? My cat just threw up on my shoes. Chanting some OM-like mantra for hours? I’d have to barricade myself in the bathroom to make that happen. Taking 30 minutes to an hour every morning to sit in the lotus position while your dog whines to be let out, your kids just broke … something, and your infinite to-do list piles up in your head.

What normal person in a normal life has time for this? No one, that’s who. This leaves people thinking that it is inaccessible for them, and that thinking can stop you before you even start.

But meditation doesn’t need to take hours, you don’t need to chant or wear purple robes in a Tibetan monastery. You need 3-5 minutes, that’s all, to benefit. The goal isn’t total inner peace and unification with the universe, either. The goal is to clear your mental desktop of the clutter for a period of time. Yes, a longer time is better, but a shorter time is beneficial as well.

I call this the “singular focus”. Think about and focus on a single thing: one thought, one sound, one word, one feeling. The object of your focus doesn’t really matter, because clearing the mental desktop reduces internal stress. Plus, you can slip 3-5 minutes almost anywhere into your day!

The awesome thing about THIS is that it makes “meditation” easier and more accessible for most people most of the time. Give this a shot, and practice it to make it more effective over time!