The hardest and easiest thing to do is to begin again.
My fellow ruminators, you get me, yes? Like a creeping willow, the smallest remark or incident can wrap its tendrils around our minds, leeching its useless poison into our brains. And we nurture it for far too long.
Years ago, when I discovered the joys of podcast-led meditations, I came across one with this very title: Begin Again. It felt necessary to me, someone who could spend hours replaying snide remarks and missed opportunities.
The podcast yogi said this: “Meditation is a practice of remembering… It is constantly a practice of beginning again and again and again.”
See, many of us might think of meditation and its consequence as a goal. Such as reaching an epic zen state. Like, “if I meditated every morning on being grounded, I’m going to be grounded the whole day, and for the rest of my life.”
Absolutely not—not for me, at least. One nasty trigger and I’m erupting. (Admits the mental wellness advocate; pardon me, I am only human, and I am trying my best.)
But really, the practice is in the “coming back to the moment”. After you have strayed. And you will stray. It’s all about noting the distraction and then, with no judgment, no additional stories, simply coming back to where you are.
That’s good to hear. It doesn’t matter how often you stray. Keep coming back to your anchor.
What can serve as anchors? The most basic—our breath. Simply shifting our attention to our breath can bring us back into the moment.
Mantras work, too. Sometimes, I literally use the mantra “begin again”. But it’s less effective for me; I find the somatic sensation of breathing with the accompanying expansion of the ribs and the open-mouthed release of the out breath to be more grounding.
Why embody Begin Again?
I used to hold the antiquated belief that a single, focused and successful path was the root of my “value” and my identity. And when that was disrupted, I crashed. My very essence was stuck in my past; it was as though I was nothing if I wasn’t what I used to be.
I simply could not get back on that path and it made me feel like a complete loser. Worthless. Hopeless.
But what if I had understood the power of beginning again? That life is really a series of opportunities to begin again?
What would it have felt like?
Thinking about it, it feels refreshing. Like freedom. Like space to do what I want. Live according to my values, and no one else’s,
So, I get the big picture now. But what about the small ones? Beginning again doesn’t only apply to big situations like career or relationships.
It matters in the smallest moments, in the minutes and the seconds.
I am no yogi so I’ve allowed the Thoughts to intrude and lead me to bouts of despondency. However, I remind myself that mental well-being is a daily practice, the best I can do is to implement the tools and practices I have learned. And to Begin Again is one of the quickest and best I can use!
Why talk about it now?
It’s a random month of the year to talk about beginnings, isn’t it? Not like it’s New Year’s, mid-year or spring.
But herein lies the beauty of this simple statement. You can begin again anytime. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, you can choose to begin again.
What inspired me to write this post? Well, I was reminded of this powerful concept thanks to my participation in an initiative. As a Beyond the Label Ambassador, I was invited to be part of a campaign initiated by Geneco Singapore. I shared my journey growing up as the invisible sibling of a brother with schizophrenia and how therapy and the support around me helped me to find balance. I thought the whole theme was about being supported.
But seeing them reflect the various interviewees’ experiences in the wonderfully refreshing theme Begin Again, I was inspired to share my thoughts on a daily practice I would very much like to embody. So, there you have it.
How about you? What does beginning again look like for u? Comment below!
