The meditation course I still value – even though I rarely use it

I spent thousands on a meditation course I don’t use.

Not regularly, anyway.

But I don’t regret a cent.

The thousands were actually for myself and a loved one, and we both got so much out of the course. But neither of us uses it regularly at the moment.

Still, no regrets. We both learned a practice that we can take with us throughout life and pick up anytime.

Before doing the course, I spoke with friends who had done it. Many people had raved to me about this type of meditation over the years. Two in particular that I asked before investing had each said incredible things about it – that doing it was life-changing – but that they rarely practised it anymore and “must get back to it.”

I remember thinking, “Well, why would you stop?” I was deeply engrossed in reading about all the benefits across multiple facets of life – stress, focus, creativity, brain health, longevity – and I just couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t continue once you learned how.

My loved one and I did the course. We took the time daily to practice during and afterwards. The recommended time is 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. For all its benefits, 40 minutes a day felt like a small price to pay.

But then … well, you know how it goes.

Life got in the way.

I skipped a day.

Then a few.

Then I was “too busy” – and before long, the habit had slipped away.

Then it felt so hard to get back in.

Like it was too sacred a practice to just half-do.

It felt silly then, after spending so much money on a course and learning this practice, to jump on YouTube and do a five-minute guided meditation. So I didn’t.

But I was missing the forest for the trees.

I was missing the crucial part that’s so important when developing new habits: having a basic, smaller option that can be done daily, no matter how screwed up the day is, no matter what crazy thing occurred. A practice so small that it can be done ANY day.

By committing to just the act of even the most miniature version of the habit, you’ll be consistent, which is the absolute most crucial part.

So what am I starting up this month? You guessed it: a five-minute daily commitment to sitting and meditating. Maybe with a guided YouTube video, maybe just with my breath. But that’s it.

I’ve had it on my habit tracker for years, which actually doesn’t guilt me since my tracker is just my “What would the optimal day look like?” spreadsheet. I nerd out and have it give a daily percentage score – I never expect to get to 100%, but the more days each month that I can do better, the gradual improvement, the more I’ve moved myself towards where I want to be. That’s a story for another day.

So if you’re reading this and nodding along, you probably have your own version of this story. What’s a habit you’ve been wanting to start (or restart), but haven’t?

Something you know would help, but feels too big, too hard, or too easy to skip?

Shrink it.

Drop it down to the smallest, laughably simple version.

BJ Fogg, author of the book Tiny Habits, talks about this exact thing. It’s the art of doing just enough to keep the habit alive.

Maybe it’s:

• Two push-ups a day

• One sip of water before coffee

• Opening your journal without even writing

• Getting into bed at the time you want to sleep, even if you scroll for a bit

• Taking one deep breath before opening your email

Start there.

Tick it off.

Let it count.

And some days, sure, you’ll do more. But the most important part is that you showed up.

You’re building consistency.

You’re rebuilding trust in yourself.

You’re proving (even on your worst days) that you’re someone who keeps going.

And if you’ve read my take on why affirmations don’t work unless you’re also doing this, you’ll know exactly why that matters.

Lastly, you’ve probably heard the old Zen quip that says if you’re too busy to meditate for 20 minutes, you should sit for an hour.

I mean, technically, sure.

But in the real world? The thing that actually works?

It’s the five-minute version that keeps you showing up.