It can seem like meditation can be a difficult thing to practice. Being still and being quiet doesn’t come naturally to all of us!

But the benefits of meditation are undeniable. It can reduce your levels of stress, make you feel more grounded, and help you focus! It can help you sleep, help you fight addiction, and even decrease your blood pressure.

So, it’s a habit worth cultivating. And lucky for you, it’s easy and free to do that!

Meditation requires nothing from you besides your time. You don’t need special equipment or clothes. Just a quiet space and a few free minutes!

Here are the simplest ways to practice meditation:

• Start small.
• Start consistently.
• Start compassionately.

Let’s learn just how easy it is to start a meditation practice!

Start small.

No one – absolutely no one – expects you to meditate for hours on end. When you’re first starting out, find a quiet place to sit for just one minute.

That’s right – just one minute. You don’t have to go anything beyond that if you don’t feel like it.

Starting with just a small amount of time is a great way to set yourself up for success. Baby steps can contribute to much larger ones later.

So go easy on yourself. Expect just one minute of quiet time from yourself, and don’t push yourself to go further if you’re just not feeling it. 

“What do I do when I sit? “

You just sit quietly, with yourself and your breathing, for 1 minute. You don’t do anything except breathe in and out. You might like to say something silently to yourself along the lines of, “Breathing in – I’m aware that I’m breathing in. Breathing out, I’m aware that I’m breathing out. In, Out.” This is only a suggestion, though. There’s no “wrong” way to practice meditation.

Start consistently.

Set aside just one minute to practice consistently. It can be in the morning, afternoon, or evening. The only rule is that it has to work for you. You don’t even necessarily need to practice at the same time every day! Finding what works for you will help you build a routine. (Pro tip: find a buddy who will commit to a one minute meditation session for the next seven days. Accountability will help you stick to it, even when it’s hard!)

Start compassionately.

Be kind to yourself. Learning a new habit takes time. It’s completely normal (and expected!) for your mind to wander, or for you to find it difficult to sit still. (Jay, our client care coordinator, has a teacher who says that the point of meditation is to notice that your mind has wandered, and gently bring it back to your breathing.)

This is all a part of the learning process. Without these challenges, you wouldn’t be able to progress!

Difficulties and challenges are your friend. Everyone has them – especially when they’re learning something new!

Start with having compassion with yourself – and don’t stop!

Meditation is easier to start than you think!

If you remember to start small, consistently, and compassionately, you’ll be well on your way to practicing meditation – and reducing your stress levels along the way!

Want to talk to someone? We work with people every day just like you to find mental health, peace and freedom. We’d love to talk to you, too – why not get in touch?