Ever since I read about the benefits of meditation, the concept intrigued me. I devoured articles and books that promised increased focus, reduced stress, and an overall boost in mental strength. The idea of achieving all that with just a few moments of silence each morning seemed too good to be true. Plus, as a full-time journalist juggling deadlines and a part-time grad student buried under a pile of assignments, I could use all the mental strength I could get.
And so, I decided to give it a go. Armed with an app on my phone and a burning desire to increase my mental fortitude, I embarked on a week-long experiment. The task? Meditate for just five minutes every morning before starting my day.
Meditation, after all, has been hailed as the panacea for the modern world’s ills. But could five minutes really make a difference? Could I, a chronic multitasker with the attention span of a hummingbird on espresso, truly benefit from this ancient practice?
I was skeptical, to say the least. The world around me was fast-paced, buzzing with constant notifications and deadlines. Slowing down seemed counterintuitive. But I was curious enough to try.
What unfolded over the next seven days was nothing short of surprising. As I progressed through my experiment, I experienced moments of calm and frustration, clarity and confusion. Yet by the end of it all, I found something unexpected that challenged long-held beliefs about what mental strength really means and how it can be achieved.
Now that it’s been over a year since my week-long experiment, here’s what happened when I tried to build mental strength by meditating for five minutes every morning — and how it changed my perception of meditation altogether.
The beginning of my meditation journey
My first day of meditation was anything but serene. I woke up early, nestled into a comfortable corner of my living room, and opened the app. The calm voice guiding the meditation instructed me to clear my mind, focus on my breath, and let go of all thoughts. But instead of tranquillity, I found myself flooded with a relentless stream of thoughts. Deadlines, grocery lists, and random memories competed for attention. The five minutes felt like an eternity.
By the third day, however, something shifted. The thoughts were still there, but I was starting to notice them without getting swept up in their current. My mind felt clearer post-meditation and I found myself less reactive to stress throughout the day.
But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Some days were harder than others. There were mornings when I felt like I was just sitting there with my eyes closed, achieving nothing. But instead of giving up, I kept going, reminding myself that this was an experiment.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that this experiment was subtly reshaping my understanding of mental strength. And the lessons I learned over this week would challenge a common misconception we often hold about mental strength — one that I’ll delve into in the next section.
Early realizations and small wins
As the days of my experiment passed, I began to notice subtle changes — small but undeniable shifts that hinted at something meaningful. On the surface, they weren’t grand breakthroughs, but they were encouraging enough to keep me going.
For instance, I started noticing brief moments of calm throughout the day, which I initially brushed off as mere coincidences. My reactions to minor annoyances felt slightly muted, as though I had a few extra seconds to respond thoughtfully rather than reflexively. After a difficult work call, I found myself able to pause, take a deep breath, and regain my focus more easily. Even the temptation to scroll through my phone constantly was, strangely, a bit less appealing.
These changes were minor, almost unnoticeable at first, yet each one built on the other, encouraging me to continue. Despite feeling frustrated and impatient during the actual meditation sessions, I began to appreciate the moments of stillness they were creating in the rest of my day. It was in these small, unexpected wins that I caught a glimpse of the potential benefits of this practice, and it sparked the motivation to keep going, even on the days when meditation felt like an uphill battle.
With these early insights in mind, I started reflecting on what mental strength really entailed. This led me to the next stage of my journey — challenging a deep-seated misconception I had about mental resilience.
Challenging the misconception
Most people, including myself initially, believe that mental strength is about control. About reining in our thoughts, emotions, and reactions. We envision a mind so disciplined that it remains unscathed by external factors.
However, my week-long meditation experiment led me to question this belief. Yes, my mind was still racing with thoughts during those five minutes of silence. No, I wasn’t able to empty my mind or achieve a state of zen-like calm. But I was becoming more aware of my thoughts without being consumed by them.
I was learning to observe without judgement, which, I realized, was a kind of strength in itself. It wasn’t about controlling my thoughts, but about not letting them control me.
This experience challenged the conventional definition of mental strength. It wasn’t about creating an impenetrable fortress of the mind but fostering a sense of awareness and acceptance.
In the next section, I’ll share how this realization impacted not only my approach to meditation but also how I managed stress and challenges in my daily life.
Embracing awareness over control
The key to my newfound mental strength was awareness. Instead of trying to control my thoughts, I started observing them. Like clouds in the sky, they would come and go. The trick was to not get hooked onto any particular thought.
If you’re also struggling with meditation or seeking mental strength, I’d recommend shifting your focus from control to awareness. Don’t beat yourself up if your mind isn’t a tranquil sea during meditation. It’s completely normal. The goal isn’t to empty your mind, but to become a passive observer of your thoughts.
Incorporate this concept into your daily life too. When faced with stress or challenges, don’t try to suppress or control your emotions. Observe them, acknowledge them, and let them pass. This practice not only helped me with meditation but also in handling day-to-day stress better.
Remember, mental strength isn’t about having a bulletproof mind; it’s about being aware of our thoughts and emotions without being overwhelmed by them.
Stepping back and taking a holistic view
This experience taught me that true strength isn’t just about control or discipline. It’s about developing an awareness of your thoughts and being less reactive to them. It’s about stepping back, observing, and letting go.
The same principle can be applied to other areas of life as well. Here are some key points:
- Acknowledge your current struggles, but don’t let them define you.
- Take responsibility for your situation, even when it’s not your fault. This will empower you to find solutions instead of getting stuck in blame.
- Question societal expectations and norms. Don’t let them dictate your life.
- Embrace self-development techniques that are practical and suited to your lifestyle.
The most significant lesson I learned from this journey was that we often let external influences and societal conditioning shape our beliefs and actions. But when we learn to think independently and align our actions with our true nature, we begin to live life on our own terms.
This journey of self-exploration might not always be easy. It requires us to face the reality of our situations, avoid blind positivity, and embrace the discomfort that comes with growth.
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