How do I build a meditation habit that actually sticks long term?

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras begin with practice and non-attachment—*abhyasa* and *vairagya*. This is the real secret to habit formation, and it's more practical than you'd think. Abhyasa means showing up consistently, even when nothing feels special. Most people quit because they expect meditation to feel transcendent from day one. When it doesn't, they think they're doing it wrong. You're not. You're building capacity. This is how habits work: boring, then suddenly not. The mechanism is simple: anchor meditation to something you already do. Sit down with your morning coffee before anything else. Five minutes. Same spot. Same time. The location and time become triggers; your nervous system starts to expect it. No willpower needed after the first few weeks—just habit. Non-attachment means you're not meditating for a result. This sounds counterintuitive, but it's crucial. The moment you meditate to "fix yourself" or achieve peace, you create the tension that prevents it. Instead, meditate to practice the act of observing your mind. That's it. Show up, sit, notice. The benefits arrive on their own timeline. When you skip a day, don't restart your counter or tell yourself the habit is broken. You missed one day. That's not failure; it's information. Return the next day. Consistency isn't perfection—it's returning. Start with five minutes. Seriously. Success builds motivation better than ambition ever will.