One WITHIN Student's Advice on How (and Why) to Make Meditation a Habit You Love to Keep
Holly is a WITHIN Meditation student and ambassador. She’s been with sitting with us for nearly a year. Holly is pictured here on one of her favorite international trips. The magnitude of the natural beauty in Australia reminds her of the peace she finds when she meditates.
For 10 years, Holly’s life consisted of non-stop work around the clock as a public accountant. She was stressed and exhausted, as are many students who come into our studio looking for a reprieve from the never-ending barrage of emails, deadlines, and meetings.
“You can’t make space for yourself when you’re that busy,” reflected Holly.
“I had no time to slow down and prioritize myself. I was sleep-deprived and cranky. Something had to change.”
Thankfully, Holly has since transitioned into a new role where she’s much happier and less stressed. “With the start of a new job, I knew I wanted to do something different,” Holly told us. “I’m grateful I discovered WITHIN Meditation on Yelp. It was so close to my job that I couldn’t not try it out.”
Holly’s meditation practice at WITHIN started with just one morning class per week. “It was really great when WITHIN released additional afternoon class times. It made it that much more convenient to meditate as a break from my workday.” To complement her practice at home, Holly used the mobile app Insight Timer, a resource highly recommended by WITHIN Cofounder Hannah Knapp. Between her classes and her personal practice, Holly meditates regularly 4-5x a week.
The positive benefits have reached into all areas of her life, including her relationships.
“I consider myself an impatient person. But with regular meditation, I notice how I react and respond to things. It’s even improved the communication in my romantic relationship."
“It’s great because I’m able to slow down and ask myself, ‘What can I can control What can I not control?’. Most of the time, I find there’s nothing worth getting worked up about.”
Holly’s Tips For New and Curious Meditation Students
Do your research. Still not convinced meditation works? Try learning more about it. Holly highly recommends a free online course at UC Berkeley called the Science of Happiness, which digs into the researched benefits of why mindfulness works. “Learning more about the science and academic side of meditation inspired me to continue practicing, especially as I noticed the benefits in myself and how it even positively impacted others around me.”
Keep it consistent. Holly maintains her meditation practice by attending the same Midday Meditation class three days a week. It’s a non-negotiable calendar event during her lunchtime. For the days in between, she meditates after her workout. In Holly’s words: “It’s multi-layered self-improvement. I also look forward to sitting with others. There’s something powerful in taking time out of the day to sit and reset.”
Let go of expectations. “When you’re first starting out, it’s so easy to feel discouraged and feel like it’s not working. Mindfulness as a practice takes time, just like any skill. Be patient with yourself.”
Explore different instructors. Holly claims there’s something for everyone at our studio, especially with our new expanded afternoon and evening times. Every meditation teacher has their own style and approach. Some use breathwork, others engage the class in reflection. Find the one that works best for you. Switching it up every now and again will also help keep things fresh.
Ready to dive in? Join us for a class and get real-time guidance directly from our teachers. We’ll give you tools, techniques, and community to help you develop your meditation practice, right in our studio in downtown San Francisco.