Our thoughts are much more powerful than we realize. In fact, they are often self-fulfilling prophecies: If we are preoccupied, for example, with thoughts of failure, we can draw to ourselves the very thing we fear. On the other hand, if we develop underlying thoughts of success, we can attract those things that will lead to further achievements.

The same is true for our thoughts about meditation—it can seem hard or easy depending on how we think about it. Let’s look at some common problems people have that make meditation seem hard.