How to Start Meditating Now (For Real)
Do you want to know how to start meditating? The good news is, meditation is a topic I am SO passionate about. I went from defining myself as someone who “felt stressed by meditation” to loving it (and teaching it). Now when someone asks for my help on something, most of the time I answer "have you tried meditation?".
It's because mindfulness (a gentle, non-judging awareness of our thoughts and of the present) has so many benefits that are also well-backed scientifically. Meditation is one of the many practices that increase mindfulness and you'll see, it is so easy to do. Among its other benefits it might protect the brain from aging or increase grey matter.
My meditation journey started very intensely with a silent retreat in Thailand to learn Mindfulness of Breathing. Spoiler: you don't actually have to do this. You don't even have to sit to meditate and turn inwards.
Keep reading to find out how to start meditating now:
Table of Contents
1. Find a meditation technique that works for you
It is really a plus to know a meditation technique. I remember when I first tried to meditate on my own, closing my eyes and waiting for something to happen. Of course, nothing happened and my mind was more agitated than ever. Since then I've learned a few techniques that have transformed the way I meditate.
If something doesn't work for you, don't stress it out! There are so many techniques that you can try and you'll find one that works for you:
Mindfulness with breathing: This is my favorite technique! I was first introduced to this during the retreat in Thailand and it was a game-changer. It is so simple: you just need to focus on your breath going in and out of your nose. If a thought comes, acknowledge it, accept it and let it go.
Body scan meditation: This is very simple and great for beginners. Focus your attention on different parts of your body from your head to your feet, notice how they feel and release any tension.
Mantra meditation: A mantra is a sentence that has a special meaning to you. You repeat over and over in your head, often timing it with your breathing. One I often pick is "Let Go", but you can pick anything that resonates with you.
Count your breaths: Breath counting is an easy variant of the mantra meditation technique. Count every time you exhale, and when you reach 10, start over at 1 on the next exhale.
Use an app: There are really cool meditation apps out there. I personally use and love Headpsace, and they offer a free 10-day Basics pack if you want to get started. They also have themed meditations, which is great when you want to focus on a specific goal. The ones I do are happiness, creativity, sleep, and managing anxiety. They also have sleepcasts, which is the adult mindful equivalent of being read a gentle bedtime story.
In most of the cases, your eyes are closed or gently fixed on a point in front of you and you are breathing through your nose.
2. Come back to your Why
Why are you meditating? What are you hoping to achieve? Why did you choose a specific technique? Take some time to understand your intention around this habit and dig deep on why you need to start meditating. Then, be open to any other benefits you might receive.
You are already the kind of person who meditates. You don't have to practice yoga or anything else to do meditation. You just need to want to train your mind to build awareness. Just like there are many workouts you can do to improve your physical fitness, meditation is one of the many tools that can train your mind. Meditation effects are very wide and different for everyone, so there's something in there for you!
I started meditating to better manage my stress. Meditation has brought me this plus so much more. It has been an awesome tool in noticing when I get caught up in negative thinking by helping me reframe my thoughts in a way that works better for me. It has totally changed the way I react to what happens to me and how I perceive the world. Also it has shown me that no negative personality trait is here forever: by changing my thoughts I can also change who I am.
Also before starting meditation, I used to think that all my thoughts were important but once I started observing them I noticed I mostly thought about stuff I needed to do without doing it. Now instead of running constantly my to-do list through my head I actually either do the things I'm thinking about or let them go!
3. Commit to doing it (even if you think it's not working)
You are more likely to stick to a habit if it is easy to do so. So try meditating at a specific time every day. You can add a body scan meditation on top of existing habits in your evening routine or do quick meditation before sleep.
You can also do it first thing in the morning, although I have to admit this one is hard for me as I tend to fall back asleep right away.
I love to use the tracking app Done, it keeps me accountable when I am forming a new habit. After a few months, it will become automatic and you will know for sure when it's the right time to meditate.
You might feel at some point that meditation is complete BS or not working for you and want to stop. It's maybe time to try a different technique or dive into what makes you feel this way. Keep reading, I've highlighted some usual roadblocks below. Also, it just takes time to feel the benefits from any habit and consistency is KEY.
If after trying all these things, you still feel like meditation is not for you, that is totally fine! You do not have to meditate to be more mindful, maybe try journaling.
4. Bring it into your daily life
Meditation is not just about sitting in silence, it's also about finding silence to observe your mind in your daily life. Especially in annoying situations. When I know a situation is going to make me frustrated, I try to focus on my breath or do a quick body scan instead of reacting to it. Think about all these long grocery shop lines or crowded subway trains.
Another fun way of doing it is to bring mindfulness to an activity like walking or cooking. Try to notice things you have not noticed before and observe your surroundings.
I also love doing the everyday Headspace meditation with Bobby from time to time. It is such a good way to connect and chill out when we feel we need it.
5. Avoid these obstacles:
You have recurring thoughts: You've identified something you can work on. Take some time to write it down and see if you can do something about it or reframe your perspective.
Your mind is going wild: That is totally normal. When you catch yourself lost in a train of thoughts, just acknowledge it, observe your thoughts and try not to judge them. Then come back to your meditation.
You are not sitting comfortably: You don't need to sit in a cross-legged position if that doesn't feel good, you can sit on a chair or you can even lay down as long as you don't feel any pain in your body and your spine is long.
You keep falling asleep: Are you laying down? Are you meditating at the wrong time of the day? Falling asleep is not a bad thing as it means your body is relaxing. Open your eyes and take deeper breaths or try a standing or walking meditation technique.
You don't have time: You actually do. You can even meditate for one minute before going to bed. You can meditate anywhere while waiting in line, walking or commuting.
You can't relax: That's why you're trying meditation in the first place! Trust me, you'll be more at ease with your thoughts. Try doing it after another activity that makes you feel relaxed (think exercising vs scrolling).
I hope you enjoyed this article and I hope you learned something about how to start meditating. I hope you also feel super empowered to start meditating right after you finish reading this!
Do you think this article could be useful to someone else? Share it on social or send it to someone who needs to start meditating RIGHT NOW! I’d really appreciate it! ⤵️