whatever works for you

a mindset from learning meditation that liberated me

A takeaway I got from learning mindfulness is the mindset of “whatever works for you.”

Initially, I thought there is one “right” way of meditating. Should I meditate right after waking up? Should I be sitting on a chair? Should I meditate daily? I would ask questions like these trying to “get it right.” Time and time again, my meditation teacher would say, “whatever works for you, whatever works for you.”

Meditation is a personal practice, and different types of meditation work differently for everyone. Breathwork might be enjoyable for me, but chanting might be more enjoyable for you. There's no one-size-fits-all answer. As long as you feel good— relaxed and calm— after your practice, then sure why not.

Embracing this mindset beyond meditation is liberating. It gives me the permission to figure out my own way of doing things, instead of the default option people expect me to have. For example, accepting the fact that I thrive better in 1 on 1 interaction than big group hangouts or recognizing Instagram-worthy activities like frat parties or raves are usually not my thing. I no longer feel bad about myself when what I want isn’t what the average person might want. It empowers me to be okay with figuring out things on my own and getting to know my true self.

This is the case too when it comes to career or life advice. Everyone has unique circumstances and what works for me might not work for you. Advice that works for others might not work for me. I’m just treating them as tools that might come in handy for my unique set of problems! At the end of the day, whatever works for you!