I've meditated for 7 days. Why aren't I fixed?

I just finished Day 7 of my 21 days of abundance meditation series, courtesy of Deepak Chopra. ? the way through. 33.33% complete. And…I’m waiting for the lightning bolt of transformation to strike.?

Backstory. I have long wanted to launch a meditation practice, but refused to devote time in the day to it. There was always something more important on the to-do list.?

Umm…yeah. Tight control on time, unwillingness to invest in myself, difficulty being in the moment. My picture is next to the Wikipedia entry “most in need of meditation.” But mindfulness was difficult for Luke Skywalker, too, and we know how well he turned out (OK, after he was almost killed by and then had to kill his father).?

Year-end events pushed me into facing my fear of and need for meditation, and I recommitted to at least trying it. What turned my attempt into a week of success - choosing the right time to meditate. I finally give my brain permission to shut off in bed, right before slipping into my evening coma. So…on Day 1 of Mr. Chopra’s program I stuck in my ear buds, snuggled under the blankets, and listened. When complete, I de-teched and fell asleep.?

Have my dreams changed? No. Do I wake up feeling more relaxed? Maybe a bit. Am I viewing the world with more equanimity? Working on it.

Like many “life hacks,” meditation is just a tool. The magic comes not from the words (although they are interesting), but from our willingness to invest in ourselves. For seven days I’ve given myself permission to just BE. To just listen and relax and not multitask.?

Is meditation a habit yet? No. According to studies at the University College London , it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create “automaticity.” Each human is different and has to work through their own mental stuff, so I’m lowering my expectations. Interestingly, Chopra’s meditations are 21 days, returning to the “21 days to form a habit” myth started by a doctor in his 1960 book Psycho-Cybernetics .?

?As I am a teacher by trade, I’ll share my three learnings so far to help support your own meditation journey.

1. Make it easy on yourself. Find a guided meditation that works for you. Prefer music? There are SO many options on YouTube. Leverage technology. Use headphones if you struggle with interruptions.?
2. Choose the time of day best for YOU. I’m a morning person. I chose 8 a.m. classes in university - on purpose. So morning meditation was just a no-go for me, leading to months of “I wish I could meditate” face smacking. At what time do you give your brain and body permission to relax? Go with that flow (making it easy on yourself).?
3. Cut yourself some f-ing slack. Does your mind wander while listening? Fine. Own it. Don’t stop and restart the meditation. As a perfectionist who will NEVER meet her own standards, I’m still learning how to be human (and OK, I admit, I did re-listen to one of the days because I mind-traveled too much). Plan for imperfection and then you will exceed your expectations.

As Yoda tells us, “Do, or do not. There is no try.” If you try meditating by listening to a meditation, surprise! You just meditated. Celebrate and “try” again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

May the Force be with you.

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Tina is founder of WorkJoy , offering global clients coaching, training, and consulting to unleash the potential of their humans. She's spent 20+ years finding her own joy at work and is on a mission to help others do the same. Tina continues to meditate...