What happens when an unexpected event means you don’t have time to meditate? What happens when you simply forget to meditate (which happens to me all the time)? How should you understand breaking your meditation streak? If you’re scared about breaking your meditation “streak,” I have both good and bad news for you.

First, the bad news: your meditation streak is meaningless. As soon as you start to take pride in the meditation streak, meditation becomes just one more thing that strokes the ego. It’s okay to be excited about consistency, but when this excitement turns into an obligation—one more thing on the checklist—meditation loses its value, because meditation isn’t just another item on the checklist. It’s a way to step out of the to-do list. Tying your worth to your consistency is the wrong way to go about it.

Now, the good news: it’s an easy solution. Make everything your meditation. You might miss a day of “actual” meditation, but missing a day of meditation means you can bring the practice into the world. It’s your chance to be mindful of each activity, to truly drink the tea.

On the days when you don’t have time to meditate, turn your attention to the tasks you do have to do. When you make everything your meditation, you take a direct path to reality itself. Each experience is heightened by your full attention. You are immersed in your own life.

Don’t worry about missing days of meditation—just do your tasks with your entire being. It’s okay to bring your practice into the real world. That’s where the practice truly helps.