Since 2012, I have been meditating everyday. Until a few months ago, I had not missed a single day. Be it travel, be it a late night, be it visitors at home, be it whatever, not a day had been missed.

Here is a honest admission… since the last few months, that discipline, that routine, that habit, has broken down. I can feel the difference, though that is not the topic of this article.

The point I wish to talk about is that when I deviate from a good habit or practice, momentum breaks. It happens. The game is how fast can I get back to momentum. When it happens there is no point of beating myself over it. I may as well enjoy the break. I may as well smile.

I used to play this car racing game called ‘Need for Speed’. Yep, there was a phase when I did that a lot! The way to win is simply this, keep the accelerator pressed at full at all times. Every now and then release the accelerator just before a corner if you need to slow down. If you stay on the track and avoid banging into anything, winning basically depends on how infrequently you release the accelerator!

In my life there have been phases of speed and performance. And there have been phases of non-performance. I have come to realise that these non-performing phases will certainly be there. Sometimes they happen simply because of bad planning, improper management, emotional overload, or even plain simple bad luck. Sometimes they happen because my body and my mind need a break to get revitalised.

How quickly can I get back on track?

How quickly can I start meditating again?

How quickly can I get back to exercising again?

How quickly can I get back to feeling happy again?

That is my bounce-factor.