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If you’ve ever sat down to meditate—especially at a writing retreat—and thought, “I suck at this,” this episode is for you. In this solo conversation, I unpack five common myths about meditation that leave writers feeling frustrated, ashamed, or “bad” at being still. From the belief that you must stop thinking to the idea that meditation has to happen on a cushion with your eyes closed, I gently dismantle the misconceptions keeping you from finding your calm–including the fact that sometimes meditation isn’t good for you.

Episode Highlights

3:15: What Meditation Really Is
6:54: Why You’ve Been Told to Meditate
8:48: Two Reasons We Believe We Suck at Meditation
9:14: Myth One: The Goal of Meditation is to Stop Thinking
13:12: Myth Two: Meditation Takes a Long Time
16:36: Myth Three: I Have to Do Something Special
17:51: Myth Four: You Have to Sit to Mediate
20:24: Myth Five: Meditation is Always Good for You

Resources for this Episode:

Lisa’s Bio: Lisa Cooper Ellison is an author, speaker, trauma-informed writing coach, and host of the Writing Your Resilience podcast. Working at the powerful intersection of storytelling and healing, she blends her writing expertise, clinical training, and soul-centered practices—including Akashic Records work and Human Design—to help writers turn their hardest experiences into art. Her essays—on sibling loss, grief, trauma healing, and the craft of writing—have appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost, and The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, among others.

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Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

You Don’t Suck at Meditation: Busting 5 Myths That Keep You From Feeling Calm