Shifting gears is something many people struggle with, ADHD folks in particular. Either I’m so hyper-focused I can't pull out of the old activity (like looking at my computer), or I’m so jumpy distractible I can't stay in the new one (like meditation).
One hack: gradual transitions. Sometimes I weave a meditation under whatever else it is I’m doing, and then slowly boost the signal on it. It’s the mental health equivalent of sneaking spinach into your smoothie. At first it can feel like multitasking, but eventually, with patience, the meditation becomes more primary.
So maybe you’re walking the dog, or sitting next to your kid as they fall asleep, or watching YouTube clips of people having tearful reunions with zoo animals. You press play on a guided meditation, or you simply guide yourself. The intention filters in. It becomes a kind of meditation-in-action.
It’s not perfect, but that’s fine. We’re not going for perfect. We’re going for helpful. In fact getting uptight about creating the perfect meditation conditions is the exact wrong training for dealing with life. Don’t even call it meditating! You’re just getting a little more aware, a little more accepting, a little more easy-going. By giving ourselves space to get into the meditation, and space to wander out, we give ourselves radical permission to be exactly who and how we are. And that happens to be the core training of meditation.
So. Let’s … very slowly … and very gradually … go!
Jeff
A few quick notes—
New to Home Base? We have over 70 free guided meditations in our audio library, over 60 extended meditations, over 365 meditations on YouTube, and a growing number of community practice videos. New writing, new audio meditations, and new DNP live community practice sessions happen every week.
Did you find me on Calm or Happier? While the meditations I recorded for the apps live on in perpetuity, I no longer record new meditations for them. My latest work happens here; becoming a paid subscriber is the best way to support that work. I give paid scholarships to anyone who asks (email info@jeffwarren.org). If you found this meditation and post helpful, but becoming a paid subscriber isn’t an option, you can also …
Many thanks!
THIS WEEK ON THE MIND BOD ADVENTURE POD
This episode we chat with Eileen Laird, author of Healing Mindset, about autoimmune disease and the role the mind-body connection can play in reducing pain, increasing resilience, and living a more vital life. There are over a hundred different autoimmune conditions — from rheumatoid arthritis to lupus to Grave’s disease to multiple sclerosis and more — one in ten people have an autoimmune condition worldwide. Stress makes the condition worse. Fortunately, this also works in the other direction. In moments of overwhelm, we can learn to send an anti-inflammatory cascade back through the nervous system. And that’s what we practice today!
