How Anybody Can Meditate, and Why Its Good For You
Making time for you to meditate
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Picture yourself sitting on a dune amidst beach grass, gazing at the ocean's waves as the sun rises. The wind blows lightly, and the temperature is perfect. You are at ease, enjoying nature and listening to the gentle breeze.
You look out at the water's vastness, noting how the colors shift from orange to golden as the sun emerges. The clouds morph and stretch across the sky. You feel connected to everything around you, calm, refreshed, and at peace. There is nothing to focus on at this moment except the rhythm of your breath—one inhale and exhale to the next.
This beach scene is what I imagine each morning as I sit in my solarium to meditate. The fact that I can say I meditate daily is a new phenomenon—one I began just over a month ago.
Creating a meditation space has long been my goal, but I never quite got around to it despite knowing its health benefits. And I say this as someone who isn't particularly spiritual or drawn to "woo-woo" practices.
I've put off regular meditation for years, held back by self-imposed barriers, my racing thoughts, and a number of excuses, like the boredom of simply sitting with myself. But finally, I've started. In the short time since, I've learned lessons that could help anyone understand the value of meditation and how to approach it without feeling like you're "doing it wrong."
Stopping and breathing is a basic need
What You Gain With Regular Meditation
Though I'm still in the early stages of my meditation journey, I notice its positive effects. For example, I still have moments when I get upset with my spouse or feel grumpy, but my mood swings are shorter, less intense, and don't last as long.
Funk moods are shorter in duration: I'm prone to catastrophizing, letting frustrations and fears spiral into a bad mood. But since 2025 began, I've been micro-dosing the news and meditating for 20 minutes each morning. Now, I find it easier to step back from the brink of despair and regain my equilibrium.
Personal satisfaction of doing something for your spirit: Setting and achieving a goal feels fantastic. I use the Habits app to track my meditation progress, and it feels significant that I can check off "meditate" each day.
Mental rest in the quiet: Spending time in silence has allowed me to experience the calming impact of stillness—it's like a gentle massage for the mind. Meditation has been the gateway to seeking more quiet moments: in the car, during a walk, or while sipping my morning coffee. I can feel the restorative power of a peaceful mind in these moments.
Cultivate compassion for yourself and others: As I mentioned earlier, I'm not one for spiritual thinking, but I do find a sense of compassion emerging through my meditation practice. I recognize myself as a tiny soul in the vast ocean of humanity, deserving of care and kindness. In caring for myself, I feel a connection with others and a shared sense of belonging that transcends daily life. While my day-to-day brain may not fully comprehend it, I can sense the presence of compassion in my meditation practice. And I believe that's a good thing.
Tips to Help You Meditate
Permit yourself to make time for yourself: It's easy to fall into the habit of turning to activities that dull our senses, but it's just as essential to allow yourself the time to lean into them. Tell yourself that this time is for you and your well-being and that awareness of self is okay.
Start small: I began meditating for just five minutes and was surprised by how quickly I could extend that time to 20 minutes.
Use tools to help: I find soundscapes like singing bowls, nature sounds, or guided meditations particularly helpful to meditation. I use headphones and explore the options available through my YouTube music app. It's easy to relax and slip into meditation with these tools. For example, I've discovered Kelly Howell's free guided meditations are quite helpful.
Allow your thoughts to come and go: I often think of the hamster racing on the wheel when I view my thoughts at play. If a racing mind has hindered meditation for you, rather than trying to suppress thoughts, acknowledge them and return to your breath or visual imagery, as in the beach scene I described.
Prepare your headspace for meditation: Like stretching before exercise, select something calming, such as drinking water or reading a book. Avoid racing mind activities like listening to the news. If you have a busy day ahead or many ideas floating around, list them on paper before you meditate. Set the list aside to acknowledge them and allow your mind to let them go for a time.
Remember, it's a journey: Meditation is about improving your sense of well-being, which takes time. In a world that thrives on instant gratification, it's easy to forget that progress is about cultivating patience and personal awareness in the moment. Trust the process, and be kind to yourself along the way.
There's more than one way to meditate: Meditation doesn't always look like sitting in silence. For some, walking in nature, the rhythmic motion of washing dishes, or even knitting can offer mindful rest. Silent prayer can also provide solace for those with religious practices.
Find Your Path to Mindful Rest
Meditation isn't reserved for a select few—it's for everyone, especially those who may feel like they don't have time for it. Resting the mind is a rejuvenating experience, helping you build resilience for life's ups and downs. It offers a kind of soothing that mindless activities simply can't provide. Start small, build gradually, and track your progress to experience the benefits for yourself.
Sherry and Alexandra Borzo together in Lima, Peru
Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.
STORIED GIFTS SHOP
Need a beautiful infusion of inspiration for your storied life? Please check out the Storied Gifts Shop where the theme is Words of Encouragement.
The shop is a mother and daughter venture for Sherry and Alexandra Borzo of Content In Motion. They both work to help their client's stories sing. The shop is their effort to inspire a focus on healthy minds for everyone through positive thought.