5 Tips For a Sustainable Meditation Practice
Starting and maintaining a meditation practice can feel daunting, but with the right approach, it can become a deeply rewarding part of your daily life. Here are my top five tips to help you establish a practice that sticks—and sustains you for the long haul.
1. Make It Regular
Consistency is key. How long you meditate isn’t as important as doing it regularly. Whether it’s five minutes, ten minutes, or fifteen minutes, aim to practice every day, ideally at the same time. This consistency helps meditation become a natural, habitual part of your routine.
As my teacher, Thea Strozer, used to say: “Get your tush on the cush”—just sit down and do it. Make it a priority, even on the days when you’re not feeling your best. Those moments often offer the most growth.
2. Meditate with Others
Meditating with others can make a world of difference. Like many things in life, accountability and community can help turn meditation into a lasting habit.
Consider joining a meditation class, whether in-person or online. At Mindfulness Consulting, we offer group classes and cohorts that provide connection and support. Apps like 10% Happier or Insight Timer are also great options—they allow you to meditate alongside others virtually. While nothing beats the energy of meditating in a shared space, even virtual communities can help reinforce your commitment.
3. Tie It to Learning
Deepen your practice by connecting it to learning. Meditation isn’t just about the time you spend sitting; it’s part of a vast tradition spanning thousands of years. Explore books on meditation or Buddhism, take a course, or check in with a friend to discuss your experiences.
When you contextualize your practice within this rich body of wisdom, it transforms from a solitary exercise into a dialogue with centuries of teachings. You’ll find inspiration and motivation as you connect your personal journey to something much larger.
4. Adapt the Practice to Fit You
While it’s important to follow the basic principles of meditation, it’s equally important to honor your unique needs. Meditation is a conversation between your mind and body.
If sitting still feels challenging, consider incorporating gentle movement.
If your body craves standing or lying down, try it out.
Listen deeply to your body’s wisdom and find a balance between structure and flexibility.
The goal is not to rewrite the rules but to create a practice that supports you while staying aligned with meditation’s deeper intentions.
5. Make It Pleasurable
This might be the most underrated tip: make your meditation practice enjoyable.
Meditation isn’t always easy—some days will feel uncomfortable or emotionally challenging. But when you shift your mindset from “This is something I should do” to “This is something that feels good and restores me,” it becomes much easier to stick with it.
Think of meditation as a cold drink of water on a hot day or a chance to stretch when you’re feeling stiff. Even when it’s tough, hold the experience in a larger frame of self-compassion and well-being. When meditation feels like an act of self-love, you’ll naturally return to it again and again.
Final Thoughts
Make it regular. Meditate with others. Tie it to learning. Adapt it to fit your body and your life. And, above all, make it a source of pleasure and restoration.
When you approach meditation with curiosity and kindness, it stops feeling like a chore and starts becoming a treasured part of your day.
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