The Easiest Way to Start a Meditation Practice

and find peace amidst chaos

A high conversation on a couch the other night inspired an update to this post. Scroll to the bottom to see <3

So many people talk about how they want to try meditation, but it’s not for them.

Or that they’re bad at it. Or that they don’t need it.

Sure, not everyone benefits from the same self-care practices, but it’s hard to believe with all the meditation styles¹, you won’t benefit from any of them.

I used to be like those people.

I kept procrastinating, and saying I’d try it later. Saying it can’t make that much of a difference in my life. And honestly, when I first tried it, I didn't get it. Sit down and do nothing?!?

You wouldn't think it would be so difficult, but then you realize how much of our life is moving from one distraction to another.

Checking off to-do lists and planning the next thing before finishing the first. Scrolling to pass the time to avoid feeling bored. Meditation helped me notice how busy my mind is, and it also helped me realize that:

I am not my thoughts. I am the one who has them.

I finally understood the mind-body-spirit connection² and had an escape from my mind’s ruminating thoughts. I'm so glad I didn't give up on myself when I didn't experience those bliss/trance-like states everyone talks about when I first tried meditation.

To be honest, in the beginning, I was bored and frustrated.

Then I found free guided meditations and breathwork videos on YouTube. (This was circa 2020 when everything I did was on YouTube. Now I use the Insight Timer app³.)

I had to keep searching to find styles and voices that I liked, but once I had my favorites and got the algorithm working for me, I was locked in.

All of a sudden, I looked forward to my me(ditation) time because I could shift my focus and observe my thoughts. I could relax. I even felt bliss at times. Once I knew the feeling I was searching for was possible, it became easier to drop in and feel it again.

I’m not saying every time you meditate, you’ll feel bliss, but most things in life aren't like that anyways. At least this practice supports emotional health, enhances self-awareness, lengthens attention span and more.

It was almost 5 years ago when

I started a meditation practice, and even though I haven't done it consistently, it’s a practice I always go back to and suggest for anyone to start.

You can rely on meditation when you need to recenter and find peace within yourself when everything around you feels like chaos.

Overstimulated? Meditate

Stressed? Meditate

Want to start the day calm? Meditate

And even though I can do it on my own, it’s still nice to have a guide and feel like I have someone holding my hand, reminding me when to breathe and saying really kind things to me.

So here's me holding your hand through the process.

I’ve gathered my favorite guided meditations on repeat from the past few months since I’ve stepped back into the practice:

• A grounding morning affirmation practice

• A midday boost

• For end of day, lying in bed

• For when you need to calm down

• For entrepreneurs and content creators

Plus, a 5-minute energizing breathwork and this visualization technique that I love.

Try one of the links, once a day, and see how it goes. Or start with 5 minutes of silence while focusing on your breathing.

Whatever you feel called to, take this as your sign to start. The point is to start and be consistent to reap the benefits.

Disclaimer: You’ll know within the first 20 seconds, sometimes 5, if you like the guided meditation or not. The music and the voice, not just the words, make a HUGE difference. If you don’t like something, don’t sit through it hoping you’ll get something out of it. Skip and move on to the next. Insight Timer is a great app for suggesting meditations based on what you finish and what you search. So, keep looking until you find something that fits what you’re looking for.

Maybe sitting still isn’t the easiest way for everyone to start meditation.

For some it might be easier when your body’s moving, but you don’t have to think about it. Going for a long walk in nature, with no music, distractions or having to figure out where to go can be enlightening if you’re alone with your thoughts long enough.

At some point the mind chatter will go away and the deeper introspective thoughts will come. If you’re lucky, you’ll experience thoughts of pure presence with what’s going on around you.

Til next time <3

P.S. Last Tuesday my first ever podcast guest appearance was released! Me and British self-love queen Cilia Li chat about solo travel being the ultimate self-care, finding love, and so much more (like my newest ebook Find Your Fiancé.)

You can listen on Spotify, Apple music, and Youtube :)

And you can check out Cilia’s online pilates classes and travel food tours here.

1. ex: yoga nidra, chanting, visualization, repeating mantras, breathwork, etc.

2. the complex interdependent relationship between our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being

3. which is amazing and free and has so much more than meditation. You can learn more about it here.