Mindfulness Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

From skepticism to self-awareness: A beginner’s journey into the real benefits of meditation.

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If you're anything like me, when you think of meditation, you might picture a hippie character chanting “om” with crystals scattered around the room, saying things like, “Align with your chakras, bro,” or “Your moon’s in retrograde, broooo.”

Okay okay okay. Yes, I exaggerated that just a smidge ;) Truth be told, I had my reservations before I started meditating. I thought it was a bit hippie. So do many people, maybe you do? But what if I told you that you’re missing out on something even bigger than Taylor Swift's Eras Tour? (shout out to the Swifties). Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years to help people slow down and become present. Maybe your favourite celebrity does it. Tell you who does, 50 Cent. He revealed in an interview with Los Angeles Times that he meditates. So yeah 50 cent' In Da Club' meditating.

For me, meditating has been an interesting journey. I've tried on and off for the past 2.5 years to make this a habit, but it’s never really stuck. I never understood what I was doing. It felt like I was just… Breathing. Big whoop, right? But over time, I’ve come to realise thats kind of the point. Meditation is simply focusing on the breath. But I’ll admit, it can still sound vague. So here’s a definition from Headspace that helped me out:

"mediation isn't about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It's about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. You're not trying to turn off your thoughts or feelings. You're learning to observe them without judgment. And eventually, you may start to better understand them as well"

So breathing is the tool that we use to train our awareness, observe thoughts and feelings without judgements and hopefully better understand them. Pretty cool hey. That clicked for me recently after meditating regularly for the last 9 months. But I wish someone had broken it down to my naive ass long ago. So I’m here to do just that :)

The Three Simple Steps To Meditation

1. Acknowledge

When faced with the trials and tribulations that are life a key skill to acknowledge. If you don't, it’s hard to move on because you haven’t got a starting point. It’s the same for meditating. When you are focusing on your breath, it’s so easy for your mind to be distracted with thoughts, to-do's, conversations, feelings, stressors, really anything! The key is to notice when you’ve been distracted. Acknowledge those thoughts and feelings instead of ignoring them.

2. Let Go

Now that you've acknowledged your distractions you can begin to let go of them. Don’t get frustrated or annoyed at these thoughts and feelings. Thoughts come and go; that’s normal. Instead, practice observing and being indifferent and then simply let go.

3. Return to Present

Then to help let go focus on the inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth to return to the present. Feel the air expanding your chest, almost like a rising sensation. Then when you exhale your shoulders relaxing, dropping, and your chest sinking. Simply put using your breath as a tool to bring yourself back to the present moment.

Meditation as a Training Ground for Life

For a long time, I thought meditation was just about reducing stress and anxiety, which it definitely helps with. And through my experience meditating I thought all it did was provide the sense of peace. But, I’ve realised it’s much more than that - it’s a training ground for life.

The practice of 'acknowledge, let go and return to present' isn’t just in meditation sessions. It’s for navigating the world we live in. Think about it. When you fail to acknowledge what’s bothering you - whether it’s thoughts, feelings, or stressors - you end up pushing them away. But, I bet a good dollar that they come back later, often worse than before. Once you acknowledge what’s there, you can start to let go. Letting go of grudges, expectations, or the stories you tell yourself creates space for more happiness and fulfilment.

And returning to the present? That’s where life is truly lived. When we rid ourselves of the present I feel we rid ourselves of living. For example, if you’re sitting with your partner but your mind is racing about a work project, you’re no longer present. You’re physically there, but mentally somewhere else. Meditation helps you practice and strengthen that muscle of awareness. Ultimately, helps you practice being fully present, which is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and those around you.

What Guided Meditation App Should I Get?

I’ve tried free guided meditations on YouTube and Spotify, but earlier this year, I decided to invest in Headspace. Honestly, it’s the best $90 I’ve ever spent. The app is super easy to use, and the daily guided meditations are top-notch. There’s a wide range of meditations for everything from managing anxiety and stress to improving sleep and even enhancing sports performance.

Lessons I Learnt Along The Way

• To be more comfortable in my own skin → Sitting with my thoughts for 10 minutes can feel UNCOMFORTABLE. Sometimes, I think I might have a little ADHD because staying still is tough! But that discomfort is exactly why I keep meditating. It’s taught me to be more comfortable in my own skin.

• Letting Go → One of the best things about Headspace is that the first few minutes of each session usually involve a brief talk about a helpful concept. This is where I truly learned the art of letting go. We tend to make excuses: “But what about this?” “What if that happens?” Sometimes, letting go is as simple as... letting go.

• Can’t Get Rid of Anxiety but you can change your relationship with it → This one was a game-changer. I used to think I could get rid of anxiety by staying productive, going to the gym, eating right, and getting enough sleep. While those things help manage anxiety, they don’t eliminate it. I’ve learned that it’s more about changing my relationship with anxiety rather than trying to get rid of it. This is still a work in progress for me, but I’m getting there

Meditation might seem intimidating or even unnecessary at first, but it’s a simple practice that can make a huge difference in how you navigate life. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, find more presence in your daily interactions, or just become more comfortable with yourself, meditation offers a practical tool for growth. The beauty of it is that you don’t have to be perfect—just showing up, acknowledging your thoughts, letting go, and returning to the present is enough. So take a deep breath, give yourself the space to explore, and start small. Who knows? It might just become the best part of your day