Are you a distracted man who wants to learn meditation?
Do you find it hard to focus on your breath, your body, or your thoughts?
Do you get easily bored, restless, or frustrated when you try to meditate?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this blog post is for you. I'm going to share with you some tips and tricks that helped me, a distracted man, to start and maintain a meditation practice. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you.
First of all, let me tell you why I decided to meditate. I was feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed by the demands of my work and personal life. I was always multitasking, checking my phone, and jumping from one thing to another. I felt like I had no control over my mind or my emotions.
I was looking for a way to calm down, relax, and enjoy the present moment. I had heard about the benefits of meditation, such as improved focus, mood, and health. But I was skeptical. How could sitting still and doing nothing help me? Wouldn't it be boring and pointless?
I decided to give it a try anyway. I downloaded a meditation app and followed the instructions. It was simple: just sit comfortably, close your eyes, and pay attention to your breath. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. As soon as I started, I realized how hard it was to keep my mind from wandering.
I kept thinking about what I had to do later, what I had done earlier, what I was missing out on, what I was worried about, and so on. Every time I noticed that my mind had drifted away from my breath, I felt annoyed and frustrated. I thought I was doing it wrong. I thought I was a bad meditator. I wanted to quit.
But then I learned something important: distraction is normal. It's not a sign of failure or weakness. It's just how the mind works. The mind is like a monkey that jumps from one branch to another, never staying in one place for long. The goal of meditation is not to stop the monkey from jumping, but to observe it with curiosity and kindness.
Every time you notice that your mind has wandered off, you have an opportunity to practice awareness and compassion. You can gently bring your attention back to your breath, without judging yourself or your thoughts. You can say to yourself: "It's okay, this is what the mind does. I'm here now."
This simple shift in attitude made a huge difference for me. Instead of fighting with my mind, I started to befriend it. Instead of feeling frustrated, I started to feel curious. Instead of quitting, I started to enjoy the process.
Of course, this doesn't mean that meditation became easy or effortless for me. It still takes practice and patience. Some days are better than others. Some days I feel calm and focused; other days I feel restless and distracted. But that's okay too. Meditation is not about achieving a perfect state of mind; it's about accepting whatever arises in the moment.
So how do you start and maintain a meditation practice as a distracted man? Here are some tips that worked for me:
- Start small: Don't try to meditate for an hour or even 30 minutes at first. Start with 5 minutes or even less. You can gradually increase the duration as you get more comfortable.
- Find a time and place: Choose a time and place that works for you. It can be in the morning, in the evening, or any time in between. It can be in your bedroom, in your living room, or anywhere else where you can sit quietly and comfortably.
- Use an app or a guide: If you're new to meditation, it can be helpful to use an app or a guide that can guide you through the steps and give you some feedback. There are many apps and guides available online; you can try different ones until you find one that suits you.
- Be consistent: Try to meditate every day or at least most days of the week. Consistency is more important than duration or intensity. The more you meditate, the easier it will become.
- Be flexible: Don't be too rigid or strict with yourself. If you miss a day or two, don't beat yourself up or give up altogether. Just resume your practice as soon as you can.
- Be kind: Don't judge yourself or your experience. Don't compare yourself to others or to some ideal image of what meditation should be like. Just be yourself and do your best.
Meditation is not a magic pill that will solve all your problems or make you a superman overnight. But it can help you become more aware, more calm, and more happy in your daily life.
If you're a distracted man who wants to learn meditation, don't let your distractions stop you. Give it a try and see what happens. You might be surprised by the results.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it useful. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. And if you want to read more posts like this, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on social media.
