The Struggle is Real – Meditation Can Be Really Hard

I’m a creature of habit… kind of…

I’m a creature of habit. If you know me, you probably just laughed at that.

Here’s the truth: even though I’m wired for chaos and change, I crave certain constants. My wife, my dog, my coffee, my spot on the couch, and my early morning workouts.

I’m up before the sun every day. The first thing I need is PT. But over the last few years, more than the soul-crushing, anger-fueled sweat sessions of my past, I need at least six minutes of mindfulness. Usually it’s 12—six with a timer, six with affirmations.

And those six minutes? Harder than any workout I do.

I can push myself through 20 to 60 minutes of lifting, conditioning, or stability work. But sitting quietly, alone with my thoughts? That’s a fight. As a lifelong chaos junkie and classic ADD kid, my mind runs like a highlight reel of past failures, future worries, and endless creative schemes.

Staying present is a daily slugfest. Mindfulness isn’t peaceful for me, it’s hard work. Some days it feels like wrestling with my own brain.

But here’s the thing: I notice a huge difference between the days I sit in that struggle and the days I don’t. I’m more productive, more patient, and yes, more joyful when I do the work.

I share this because I know I’m not alone. If you’ve tried meditation before and quit because you weren’t “good at it,” I get it. But that’s the point—it’s not about being good. It’s about showing up, giving yourself grace, and practicing self-kindness in the middle of the noise.

Something happens when you take even a few minutes to accept yourself as you are. It’s empowering. And if you’re anything like me, after 6–12 minutes of battling it out with your own mind, the rest of the world doesn’t stand a chance.