Should You Meditate During Your Recovery? Let’s Talk About It
Introduction: A Common Question in Recovery
When you’re on the path to recovery from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or any other hypersensitive nervous system issue, you’ll likely come across a variety of wellness techniques. Meditation, deep breathing, EFT tapping, visualization exercises, and many others seem to be recommended everywhere. The question is: Should you meditate and will it really help you in your recovery journey? Let’s break this down, so you can better understand what’s truly beneficial during this phase of your life.
The Trouble with Doing “All The Things”
When I was sick, I thought I had to do everything in the books to get better. I had a checklist of things I needed to try every day: deep breathing, meditation, EFT tapping, visualization exercises… the list went on. I thought if I did all of these things, I’d recover.
But here’s the thing: I didn’t fully understand why I was doing them or what kind of changes I was trying to create in my brain. The goal behind these exercises wasn’t clear to me, and I ended up just going through the motions. I knew deep breathing would help me relax, meditation could bring calm, and visualization would keep me hopeful, but I didn’t grasp the purpose beyond that.
A Better Approach: Focusing on the Outcome
The problem came when I tried to do all these things without understanding what I was actually aiming to change. I was essentially just checking off a list, hoping for results without being mindful of the process. This left me feeling frustrated because I wasn’t seeing immediate results.
When I started recovering, I realized I didn’t need to keep forcing things like meditation. Meditation, deep breathing, and other techniques are helpful only if you understand what they’re trying to accomplish. It’s not about just ticking boxes; it’s about attaining the same peaceful, relaxed state that these practices aim for, but in a way that works for you.
When Meditation Doesn’t Work for You
For me, meditation didn’t always help. I’ve had moments where I would sit and meditate for hours but didn’t feel the peace I was seeking. Sometimes it even made me more anxious because I became too conscious of my breathing.
So I stopped forcing myself to meditate and started finding other ways to relax and center myself. For instance, taking walks in nature or simply creating videos became my form of meditation. I was able to get into a flow state when creating content or working on my business, and that gave me the same sense of peace and presence that meditation is meant to provide.
Doing What Resonates with You
Meditation is often about quieting the mind, but for me, that state of calm could be achieved in other ways. The goal is to reduce stress and bring your nervous system back into a balanced state. If deep breathing or EFT tapping doesn’t work for you, don’t feel pressured to continue doing it just because it’s recommended. Find what works for your unique needs.
Activity in Recovery: More Than Just “Doing”
Another key mistake many of us make in recovery is feeling like we have to constantly be doing something to get better. For instance, you might feel like you have to keep increasing your activity every single day or force yourself to check off every recovery task just to feel accomplished.
I see this in the Recovery Academy, where we have our 30-day challenge — a set of small, non-strenuous tasks designed to help build momentum in your recovery. The goal isn’t to push yourself physically, but to get something done that boosts your confidence and gives you a sense of achievement.
But here’s the key point: If you’re feeling drained, it’s okay to pull back. You shouldn’t be doing things just for the sake of doing them. Don’t feel guilty about taking time to rest, even if others say you should keep going.
The Key: Listening to Your Body
As you go through your recovery, it’s crucial to listen to your body. If you’re tired or feeling weak, it’s okay to rest and adjust. Pushing yourself when you’re not ready only leads to setbacks. And even though you may read advice online about certain techniques or activities, what works for someone else might not work for you. Recovery is personal.
A Simpler Path to Recovery
What I’ve learned over the years is that recovery doesn’t have to be complicated. It can actually be quite simple if you keep your focus on the most important things. Your success in recovery is determined by how well you respond to symptoms — that’s it.
How you react to setbacks and flare-ups will dictate the pace of your recovery. If you stay calm, stay present, and take the right steps, the adjustment periods will pass, and your body will slowly return to balance.
When You Need Extra Support
If you’re feeling stuck in your recovery journey and need a clear roadmap, it may be time to get extra support. The Recovery Academy is a great place to learn the right strategies and get help from others who understand what you’re going through. We have regular coaching calls where you can ask questions and get the guidance you need.
You don’t have to figure this all out on your own. With the right support, you’ll understand how to handle symptoms, adjust activity levels, and move forward without feeling overwhelmed.
Final Thoughts: Find What Works for You
Ultimately, meditation, deep breathing, and other techniques can be valuable tools in recovery, but they should be aligned with your needs. Don’t force yourself into a box based on someone else’s idea of what you should be doing. If it feels right, keep doing it. If not, try something else.
Remember, recovery is about flexibility and finding the path that works best for you. Stay patient, stay focused, and know that you’re one step closer to thriving health every day.