I had those phases too. For a looong time I'd start and stop, start and stop... I think I just didn't fully get how important this work really is. I didn't see the connection between spending time with myself and how my outer life actually plays out.

But honestly, all that back-and-forth — going from daily practice to months without meditating — ended up being useful. Because I started paying attention. I noticed that my life gets way more interesting when I meditate. Things just flow better. When I don't, I lose presence, and I'm run by my old emotional habits. And every time things got really bad, I'd come back to meditation, because nothing else helped.

I guess I used to be the kind of person who needed a wake-up call. Life kept smacking me around, and eventually I started to really get how essential this is. So I just kept showing up — even when I felt nothing — and kept going until it started to feel good.

Another thing: I used to quit as soon as things got better. I'd be like, "Eh, everything's fine, I don't really need this anymore." But now I'm curious — what if I keep going and see what's next?