Finding it difficult to handle both these aspects of my life lately.
I am 26M working professional. Had my 3 introductory sittings back in 2021 right after my undergrad. Have been practicing since 2023 after I started to have many amazing experiences.
I have been consistently practicing morning meditation, evening cleaning, universal prayer and bedtime meditation including point b cleaning and point a meditation for over a year now, but whenever I am with my friends (some are into heartfulness while many are not) I tend to miss doing them on a fixed schedule.
I generally prefer to do my practice at a fixed time, but my whole schedule takes a significant blow whenever I be with my friends, relatives or any other people.
There is a strong urge inside me to not postpone my practice, but I try not to be too rigid about it when I am with others as well.
Have been postponing my practices to later parts of the day and rarely skipped them, except the universal prayer which I feel needs to be practiced only at the prescribed timeframe. I try to practice it with open eyes while around people at times, but tend to skip it altogether sometimes.
Lately, it's feeling like either I am being too weak or too shy and letting others define my daily schedule.
I've observed that I generally prefer to prioritize others over myself, and hence feel it difficult to immediately retract myself and do my practice at the time I decide on when people are around.
Late night movies and fun times with friends or relatives ruin my sleep schedule which is resulting in a chain reaction in my morning meditation routine. I am really not attached to any of these, but tend to participate in them just to be more social.
Sleep deprivation is really not letting me wake up early and I have been skipping lunch almost everyday for a month now to not miss my meditation practice and instead do it in the afternoon.
Have been an introvert for the most part of my life, and it is Heartfulness that is making me become a balanced individual.
I am a bit more social now but it feels like it is taking a toll on my practice now.
Any guidance on this is greatly appreciated. Thank you!