I can't stop my mind from wandering!
- Chantal Doriott
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
If you've ever sat down to meditate and thought, "I can't stop my mind from wandering!" You are not alone. The truth is, wandering thoughts aren’t just normal; they are an essential part of your meditation practice, and in my opinion, those thoughts offer you a gift.
Mind wandering is part of meditation. Meditation isn’t about achieving a completely still mind—it’s about learning to notice when your thoughts have drifted and gently bringing your attention back to an anchor such as your breath. Every single one of us experiences mind wandering, and with time and practice, you’ll find that your mind settles more easily. When in practice, every time you realize your mind has wandered, bring it back. You can do so with an anchor point such as the breath. This means you’ve returned to awareness. That moment is a success! If your mind drifts 100 times, that means you can come back 99 times—that’s 99 awakenings in a single meditation session. Instead of seeing it as a failure, try to see it as training for your mind.
Be kind to your mind. Imagine you’re training a puppy to fetch. If the puppy runs all over the yard before bringing the stick back, you don’t scold it—you celebrate the fact that it returned. Treat your mind the same way. Every time you bring your attention back to the present moment, you're strengthening your ability to focus and cultivating a gentler, more accepting attitude toward yourself.
The goal of meditation isn’t to silence your thoughts but to cultivate awareness and kindness toward yourself. Every moment of returning to the present is a win. Next time your mind wanders, don’t get frustrated—celebrate it as another step toward mindfulness.
Chantal Doriott, MMT
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