The Fit Conundrum – The mornings are a busy scramble, and load the mind with stress before you even get your foot over the doorstep.

And that doesn’t mean shutting your eyes and counting down the minutes while still nestled under the covers. Meditation is about gaining comfort, that’s true, but trying it on a sleepy mind is just going to knock you out again. Get up as soon as the alarm hits, resist the urge to check the phone, and start the meditation as soon as you start to feel somewhat awake.

Sit in an upright position, hone in on the breath, and enjoy dealing with the monkey mind that follows. The goal is to be aware of when you hop on a train of thought, and to be able to then bring the focus back to the steady rhythm of the breath. 

It’s probably going to start off a little chaotic. You’re probably not going to be able to park yourself on top of a mountain and let the dawn light breathe on the back of your eyelids. It’s not going to be a fancy affair that gives you enough epiphanies to make your lips quiver. Things start slow.

Meditation is potent at reducing stress, but it needs practice, and you’re better off kicking off the training as soon as you can. Even if you can’t quite stop yourself from wandering off, you’ve still scored a win by taking time off from the hustle and bustle of daily stressing. And no, sleep doesn’t quite count in that situation. It has to be a conscious withdrawal from your hectic lifestyle.

Try not to leave it till the evening. Things can mount up over the day, shifting it to the back of your priorities. Do the deed before the distractions start to hit.

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I’ve written out as an easy guide for kicking off your meditation practice. You can check it out here.

Bulletproof Meditation – Week 1