"Meditation Sucks" — Or Does It?

I’m taking a “hate-to-meditate Challenge”!

This morning, I opened a newsletter from the Centr app (the one I use for home workouts), and an image instantly caught my eye: a sign that said “Meditation sucks.” And honestly? That hit home.

I’ve never really connected with meditation. I’ve tried. I’ve sat down with the best intentions, thinking I’d finally get it this time. But instead of peace and stillness, I usually end up frustrated. My mind races, my to-do list takes over, and I feel like I’m failing at something that could appear as being fairly simple...

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Actually, what is meditation?

Wikipedia introduces it as “a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive 'discursive thinking, achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state, while not judging the meditation process itself.”

Headspace introduces it as “a skill. Learning to meditate is like learning any other skill. Think of it like exercising a muscle that you've never really worked out before.”

So maybe not that simple...

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A similar topic came up just earlier this morning over breakfast with my husband. He spent the weekend on a pack-rafting trip with a friend, and they talked about how life-changing events—like burnout or a serious illness—can give you a new perspective. My husband said that although he’s never had a full-blown burnout, he’s been through a couple of tough work phases, and what got him through was a consistent, daily meditation practice. That’s what helped him reset and keep going.

For me, it’s been movement. Exercise, Pilates, climbing—those have always been my ways of grounding myself, of releasing stress, of reconnecting to something deeper. In a way, maybe that is my form of meditation.

Still, when I saw that bold “Meditation Sucks” image in the Centr newsletter, I felt strangely called out. It turns out they’re running a 7-day Hate-to-Meditate challenge. And instead of rolling my eyes and scrolling past, I paused. Maybe it’s time to give it another try—but with no pressure this time. Just curiosity.

So I’ve decided to take the challenge. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to meditate every day for 7 days. And because I know I’m not the only one who struggles with meditation (and maybe also secretly wishes it could “work”), I’m going to document it right here on the blog. I’ll share how it’s going each day—what comes up, what I struggle with, and whether anything shifts.

Whether you’re a fellow Pilates-lover, someone who “just can’t meditate,” or you’re simply curious, I’d love for you to follow along.

Wish me luck—I’m diving in, frustration and all.

FYI - this is how I picture myself in a week's time... 😅 So until tomorrow morning, I'll start working on my expectations!

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Méditez-vous?

• 0%Oui, et j'adore
• 0%Oui, mais pas régulièrement
• 0%J'ai essayé...
• 0%Je n'ai jamais essayé, mais je suis curieux/se.

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