This morning, I was doing an online meditation, and the guide invited us to check in with any negative emotions—whether about something, someone, ourselves, or even an upcoming event.
As I reflected, I realised that I wasn’t really feeling any negativity at that moment. In fact, I have far fewer negative emotions these days. It made me wonder: If I feel good, why bother meditating at all?
But then it struck me—meditation is just like physical exercise. When you first start, you build up your practice, gradually experiencing the benefits. Over time, your mental fitness improves, bringing a sense of calm and peace. However, just as with physical exercise, you need to maintain the practice to sustain the benefits. Feeling good isn’t a reason to stop—it’s a sign that what you’re doing is working.
Imagine you take up walking to improve your fitness. At first, it’s a challenge, but soon you start to feel healthier and more energised. Would you then say, I feel good now, so I don’t need to walk anymore? Of course not. If you stopped, the benefits would gradually fade. The same applies to mindfulness—it’s an ongoing practice, not a quick fix.
When I teach mindfulness, I always remind my students that it’s a long-term commitment. While you may feel a slight improvement after a single session, the real benefits come from consistent practice over time.
If you’re new to mindfulness or thinking about giving it a try, remember: it’s not an instant solution, but it doesn’t have to take up hours of your day either. Even just five or ten minutes a day can make a difference. You might also find it helpful to do a longer session at the weekend. The key is to weave mindfulness into your daily life in a way that feels natural.
So why not give it a go and see how you feel? And if you can attend a mindfulness class with a properly trained teacher, even better!
