After a few years bouncing between meditation apps [1] and classes, I started to wonder if something in my brain was broken or just not wired for meditation [2]. I'd sit down, close my eyes, and start to count my breaths . . . but something just wouldn't turn off.
We all hear that the benefits of meditation [3] are seemingly boundless, and it's not just the yogis and alt-wellness crowd saying it; meditation has significant clinical data [4] and scientific research to vouch for its superpowers [5]. Whether the goal is to relieve stress, lose weight [6], ease pain [7], or improve your mental health [8], meditation has proven that mind over matter really is legit. But if you're anything like me, it's easier said than done.
It didn't matter what program I was doing or how much I wanted to clear my head, the damn thing would not clear. And if I'm being frank, it still doesn't always get completely quiet. However, I've finally begun to have breakthroughs — moments where I'm mentally screaming "I'M DOING IT!!!" before quickly telling myself to hush and enjoy the silence. How? It's so simple, it feels almost stupid to admit: making a list.
I know, I know. A list. Seriously! I realised that my mind would race through a number of thoughts, but most often they pertained to my to-dos. Work, chores, errands, scheduling, story ideas, dog-mom responsibilities . . . I'd find myself wondering if I scheduled that vet appointment, or if the laundry needed to be put in the dryer, or how many emails I needed to get through, or when I was going to find time to get groceries in between deadlines.
The lists in my head are not linear, and they're infinitely long. Perhaps it comes down to being a Type-A Virgo with anxiety and seemingly infinite ideas, but nevertheless, my brain is a constant frenzy of thoughts; a hundred internet tabs open at the same time.
One day, it just dawned on me: get the list out of my head and onto some paper. I did this first, then started my meditation audio, and voila: my brain got quieter. My thoughts fizzled down, and it was like parts of my brain were able to go to sleep for a few minutes. I tried this strategy again the next day, and sure enough — a little quieter still.
This is now my go-to if I'm trying to take a solid 10 minutes or more for truly quiet, regenerative meditation. Get this list (or just your thoughts, if you're not as to-do focussed as I am!) onto a piece of paper; write, journal, plan, then leave it there in the notebook or on the desk so you can have some peace and silence.
While I still have days when my brain is having a time and the damn thing won't shut up, I'm a thousand percent (rough guesstimate) improved from where I was before, and now meditation is actually starting to make a difference in my life. Hopefully this impossibly simple tip helps transform your practice the way it transformed mine.