Meditation has always been on the radar for its positive side effects on our lives in today’s world. COVID-19 has taken a huge toll of many of our lives when we were forced to be isolated in our homes and not allowed to do social interactions with others during the pandemic. Many Singaporeans mental health suffered greatly – it has been reported that 1 in 3 youths have a mental health symptom.
But if meditation is so impactful, why are so little people doing it? First of all, it is hard to meditate. The more we try to quiet the mind, the more the thoughts pop into our heads. We feel a sudden itch while we are trying to still out minds. There are some useful tips when practicing mindfulness meditation.
1. Avoid judging your thoughts during meditation. This doesn’t mean you are meditating wrong, just acknowledge it and let it pass.
2. Don’t expect an outcome through meditation. Don’t put pressure on yourself – You may or may not feel relaxed after meditation.
3. Don’t try too hard, don’t worry if you are not doing it right. Having intentions to be kind to yourself makes things easier.
4. Don’t wait for the right conditions. It is okay to meditate anytime, it does not have to be a particular day or routine.
5. Take a break. There are times when we not physically or emotionally distraught, we can do other things for self-care instead of meditating.
6. Don’t give up. Keep trying to meditate but always allow yourself some freedom during meditation.
