If you find yourself struggling to start or keep up a meditation practice, you’re not alone. Although the instructions for basic mindfulness meditation are simple (pay attention to your breathing in and out; when your mind wanders, notice that and gently bring the attention back to your breath), that doesn’t mean meditating itself is always easy. Research suggests that new and experienced meditators alike face barriers to practice.
For instance, a study I published with colleagues in 2020 found that new meditators often question whether meditation will in fact be beneficial, and doubt whether they’re
