Developing a Meditation Habit with Chris McDonald

If you're someone who's dabbled with mindfulness practices, but struggled to create a real meditation habit, today's episode is for you! My guest is Chris McDonald, and in this episode, we're discussing the ins and outs of how to develop a meditation practice that sticks. Chris McDonald is a holistic therapist, which means she integrates practices like yoga and meditation into her mental health therapy work with clients. Through that work, she has gained a LOT of experience helping people to get started with meditation and overcome the obstacles that keep the practice from truly taking root. Developing a meditation habit is a process that takes time, and in this conversation, you'll hear from two experienced practitioners who can help you with some of the disconnects and hang-ups that keep you from benefiting from a regular practice. You'll hear about ways to support your meditation habit like:  Gaining inspiration by practicing with more experienced meditators Trying different styles of meditation to find a practice that fits your needs Setting your intention and preparing yourself to follow through Setting up your space and choosing a time of day to meditate Tying meditation to other habits you already have Motivating yourself in a positive way with self-compassion (rather than guilt) We also discuss some important frameworks and attitudes that influence how we approach meditation, including: How meditation is a process-oriented activity, rather than a goal-oriented activity Meditation as a "band-aid" on a bad day vs. meditation as a "preventative" practice that decreases your overall stress and reactivity And, how our brains change when we do practice meditation consistently. Chris offers tons of realistic, practical tips that can help you figure out how to fit meditation into your life! This episode will leave you feeling motivated and much-better prepared to develop or renew your own meditation habit. -- You can learn more about Chris McDonald through her website and podcast at holisticcounselingpodcast.com.  You can also follow her on Instagram @holisticcounselingpodcast  or @holisticcpodcast on TikTok! For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast. And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library! Lastly, I'm on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).