Begin Again
If a new habit doesn't stick right away, keep trying.
I’ve made the same New Year’s resolution for years: meditate everyday. I generally last until January 4th or 5th, miss a day or two, and scrap the whole project as a failure . . . until the next year rolls around.
Recently at a neighbor’s house, I saw one of those wall decor plaques with fancy script — you know, the ones that say things like “Grateful” or “Live Laugh Love.” This one said “Begin Again.”
Begin again. That’s a meditation instruction: when your mind wanders, and you stop focusing on your breath and start thinking about your grocery list, you simply begin again. And again. As many times as you need.
This year, I meditated daily for the first week of January, then tumbled off the wagon, as usual. I gave up for a while, as usual. But then I realized I was being too hard on myself, because perfect adherence is not realistic. At the same time, I was being too easy on myself, because allowing a few missed days to justify quitting is a cop-out. And I was forgetting that the most important day is always today, because it’s the only day for taking action, the only day to begin again.
If you’re trying to make a positive change, such as meditating or (hint!) strength training on a regular basis, you probably won’t nail it perfectly right away. (If you do, you have my admiration and my envy.) That’s okay. Just begin again. And again. As many times as you need.
