Meditation has gotten about as trendy as cupcake shops in the 2000s, and for good reason. Meditation has been shown to improve concentration, treat chronic pain, increase relaxation, and reduce cognitive problems as we age. Coach Pete Carroll even introduced the Seattle Seahawks to meditation the same year they won the Superbowl. So it's obvious that meditation works. Except when it doesn't. Meditation is one of those tricky self-help treatments. Some people can download

The phenomenon is real. You're trying to make a change in your life. Maybe it's drinking less or shopping less often. Maybe it's a new diet or exercise regimen. Only to feel shame and anxiety when you slip up. Change seems impossible. Why bother? This is on my mind at the end of Lent, the season when some Christians give up something—coffee, chocolate, anything—to reflect on sacrifice. Most of people I know who gave up something report that they only lasted a day or tw