What Happened After My 21-Day Meditation Challenge

11 positive mental and physical changes

Early in 2021, my Naturopathic office ran a virtual 21-day habit-forming challenge. Accountability for forming healthy habits during the pandemic—especially during the first year when it was still very much not normal—was crucial. Every participant got to choose the habit they wanted to focus on for the challenge. I chose meditation.

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels

In the past, I probably would have chosen something like completing a minimum amount of exercise per day, or successfully avoiding refined sugar or another food or food group. Yet I had a realization that this type of goal does not nourish the body or mind. At least not in the way that I wanted or needed. This type of goal is extreme, requires excessive willpower, and often ignores the body’s true wants or needs.

While, yes, consuming sugar in smaller amounts and exercising regularly are wonderful habits to strive toward, I have found I am more successful at these goals with a less structured and more flexible approach. It requires awareness of my choices on a daily basis and in-the-moment mindfulness. It means checking in with my body and listening for what it truly needs. Sometimes that’s gentle stretching or rest rather than forcing an high-intensity workout. Sometimes it’s a chocolate chip cookie instead of a…