Habits are powerful things. They drive a staggering amount of human behavior. In fact, one study out of Duke University suggests that nearly 40 percent of all human behavior is habitual, requiring little to no input from our prefrontal cortex.
On one hand, that’s pretty scary. I mean, think of all the bad habits we develop unconsciously. And beyond that, habits are notoriously hard to break.
On the flip side, it’s pretty inspiring to think that we can forge new habits and hardwire healthy new behaviors into our brain.
In this short guide, we explore how to take advantage of your brain’s tendency to make habits out of routine behavior and apply that to meditation. Because, as you might have experienced, meditation can be hard. And that can make it a hard habit to develop.
But the rewards of a meditation habit are priceless.
And thanks to science and some wonderful researchers, we now know a lot about how to create habits (hint: willpower alone is not enough), how long it takes, and what you need to do to successfully create one.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- The science of habits
- How to create a meditation habit that sticks
- How long it takes to create a new habit
- What happens in your brain when you forge a new habit
- What the habit loop is and why it’s so important
- The magic of keystone habits and habit stacking
> How To Turn Meditation Into A Keystone Habit (Audio)
Did you know there is actually a science to making meditation a lasting habit? A lot of people struggle to be consistent with meditation. And that’s understandable, because meditation can be challenging. But we can actually make it easier on ourselves. One way to do that is to learn the science of habit formation.
> 5 Simple Steps To Create A Meditation Habit That Sticks
At the beginning of every new year, the resolutionaries are on the march armed with new goals and visions. It’s a fabulous moment to start a new meditation practice. But have you thought about how to make resolutions stick? How can you create the habits that are going to help you thrive and become a better you? Where is the space—internal and external—going to come from to include a new meditation habit in your routine? Especially something like a meditation practice…
> The Surprising Statistics Behind Creating A New Meditation Habit
Old habits are hard to break. New ones, like meditation, are equally hard to create. Especially when they go against old habits. Think about it for a second. To break old habits and create new ones requires a double dose of motivation and self-discipline.
> The One Thing You Must Do To Make Meditation A Habit
Do you want to make meditation a habit that lasts? Do you know how long it takes for any new behavior to become a bona-fide habit? And technically, what does that even mean? My guess is that you’ve tried to meditate before. Maybe even a few times. But “life happens” and other things rise to the top of your priority list. Meditation gets bumped.
> 5-step Formula to (Finally) Creating a Regular Meditation Habit
Meditation is a desirable habit to cultivate. There are hundreds of scientific benefits associated with regular meditation, and it is a key life habit that also sparks a chain reaction for other good habits to take hold, such as: quality sleep, enhanced mood, better relationships, and increased self-awareness to name just a few. If you’ve wanted to start a regular meditation practice that creates visible, real, and positive changes in your life, follow this 5-step formula.
> Build Confidence and Healthy Habits Through Mindfulness with Author Barrie Davenport
In this second episode of my interview with author and personal coach Barrie Davenport, we explore a topic that is near and dear to my heart: how to build healthy habits. One of the most popular questions we get at About Meditation is, “How do I create a lasting meditation habit?” So many people struggle to make meditation a habit. And there’s a good reason for that. New habits are hard to create.
> The Ashram & The Entrepreneur—Exploring Meditation As A Habit with Sonia Thompson
In this episode of The OneMind Podcast, meditator and entrepreneur Sonia Thompson and I explore the experience she had while on retreat at Yogaville. We also dive into the incredible power of habits and the value of relating to meditation as a keystone habit. Finally, Sonia shares her own reflections on why meditation is so important for entrepreneurs.