Being distracted and unfocused during meditation is very common. Having a wandering mind during meditation is very common. It doesn’t mean that you are doing it wrong, or that you are “not cut out for mindfulness meditation.”
It’s OK that many thoughts come up and distract us during meditation. The mindfulness technique is to notice the thoughts, let them pass by, and return our attention to the breath.
It’s OK if we get distracted. It’s very normal. We just return to the breath, over and over again. Even if we can only stay with the breath for a second before a thought pulls us away, that’s OK.
Instead of thinking about mindfulness as “I need to stay with my breath,” think of it as “I will return to my breath whenever I can.”
We often get dragged around by our thoughts. Mindfulness helps us slow down, take a look at the thought, and ask ourselves, “Do I want to chase after this thought?”
There is a sense of dignity in that. There is a sense of agency and freedom in that. There is a sense of empowerment in knowing that we actually have that choice.
Mindfulness FAQ 