SunShakSunday #5: Meditating Sucks...

Meditation is still near its’ peak in the zeitgeist. A practice once reserved for monks and philosophers has entered the mainstream.

Meditation evangelists include celebrities like Ellen Degeneres & Joe Rogan. Elite athletes, Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant, also leveraged a mindfulness practice to perform better on the court.

With an array of glowing testimonials from individuals at the top of their respective field, it’s hard to argue the benefits of a meditation practice. So as normal people, we are inclined to try it as well.

Every time you are able to focus on one or two breaths, another distracting thought pops into your head. The experience is ruined. Or is it?

Redefine success. Before I began meditating, I learned a different way to quantify a successful session. Many beginners aim for 10-20 minutes of distraction free focus on their breathing. I aim for something much easier. I aim for “one rep” of the following exercise: acknowledge a distracting thought, accept it, refocus on the breath. If I can complete "one rep" of that cycle in a 10 minute sitting, that session is a success.

The skill I exercise through meditation is regaining control of my focus after distraction occurs. Isn’t that one of the biggest challenges most of us face on a daily basis? How often do you have large chunks of distraction free time to do anything? Countless items grab our precious attention: family, phone, coworkers, etc. Training the ability to regain control of our focus in a distraction filled world pays off.