Why am I so bad at meditation?
Oh the irony of wanting to do this ancient practice ‘right’. First, take adeep breath while you enjoy this calming higher truth: there’s no right way to meditate, which means you can’t be bad at it. ‘Meditation is an intentional practice of redirecting yourself away from your thoughts, and you can practise regardless of your position or the level of noise,’ says Katie Krimer, aclinical social worker. One of the main reasons people think they’re badatmeditationisan inability to clear their minds, but stopping your thoughts shouldn’t be the goal. ‘[It’s about] having more control over your thoughts rather than feeling like they are controlling you,’ adds Joree Rose, atherapist and meditation and mindfulness teacher. The idea is to allow your thoughts and emotions to occur, observe them without judgment or rumination,thenreturn to the present by focusing on your breath, amantra or the immediate space around you, adds Krimer. ‘But even having the intention of attempting to train your awareness and observe the workings of the mind is good enough.’ Athought to meditate on.
How can I make my new exercise habit stick?
What separates a January fitness habit from a year-round one can be articulated in two words, says Rachael Welford, a coach at the wellbeing platform TruConnect. It’s all about your ‘why’ and ‘how’. On your way to the gym, remind yourself why you’re choosing to do this, and how the work you’re about to do will move you closer to that goal. If getting fitter is the aim, for example, then your ‘why’ might be spending more time being active with your children. ‘Keep both long- and short-term goals in mind,’ says Welford. An intention to lose 10kg won’t offer as immediate a mental boost as a goal to fit in two 5K runs per week. She also recommends habit stacking: attaching a new habit to something you already do. ‘If you listen to your favourite podcast every morning, combine this with a walk,’ she suggests. Within a couple of months, being outdoors will feel second nature.
Veganuary made me want to go vegan. Any advice for adding flavour to meals?
You’re not the only convert. Back in 2019, plant-based chef Rishim Sachdeva challenged himself to do Veganuary, too. He felt so much better for doing it that he launched Tendril – a series of ‘mostly vegan’ pop-ups that, last year, found a permanent home, just off London’s Oxford Street. Building a ve
