1. Consistency is key. Like exercise, it doesn’t matter if you used to be fit, you have to stay fit. On days when I am very busy or traveling, I will find times to fit in my meditation, even if I have to break it up through the day or wake up extra early.

2. I find an hour in the morning sets me up for a great day, and an hour in the evening makes my sleep like teleporting to the morning.

3. If my life is very chaotic and my mind is racing, I’ll start with a mantra in my mind. Something like, “Ah oh mm.” If my mind becomes restful, I may move on to observing my breath. In the evening I may scan my body or just watch my thoughts. There are many other types of meditation, like loving-kindness, self-inquiry, analytical, emptiness, impermanence, and so on and so on. They each have unique advantages and I do the ones I feel called to.

4. Most importantly, my entire day and life is a meditation. This is really the key: how mindful and present can we be for our whole life?

5. I am ambitious yet fallible, disciplined yet imperfect. And I am also self-forgiving and accepting of my ebbs and flows. I don’t spend one second dwelling on the past. The more aware I am of my energy, the more able I am to conserve it by not focusing on things like the past, complaining or holding grudges against myself.