You’re sitting cross-legged with your eyes closed, breathing closer and closer to the stillness you crave. But your phone’s vibrating with notifications, your weekly to-do list unfolds in your mind, and you’ve lost control of your once-steady breath. It sounds like you could use some meditation tips.
Who said learning how to meditate was easy? You’re starting to realize that it’ll take more than just a 5-minute break from work and a few inhale-exhales to reach the nirvana of stillness.
Don’t worry; I understand the frustration. I also struggled when I began meditating. Unproductive and stressful thoughts invaded my mind, and I found it harder to achieve stillness. I found myself wanting to give up. But I didn’t. And you won’t, either.
As I got more comfortable with my thoughts and spent more time meditating, I found myself in a blissful groove — I sat still longer, controlled my thoughts, and regulated my breath, so it was as steady as a slow, gliding tide. Now I share stillness, meditation tips, and techniques with hundreds of people through my Stillness to Success Course.
So, what’s the secret? How do you meditate successfully? There are no secrets here; just tried and trusted meditation tips that have proven to help myself and others. I’ll share some great meditation tips with you in this article and lead you to some resources to help solidify your meditation practice. Let’s find some Zen.
7 Meditation Tips for Beginners
Tip #1: Practice Proper Breathing Techniques
Do anxious thoughts take your breath away? When we’re stressed, we experience shallow breaths in our chest. While meditating, stressful thoughts can take over, disrupting the slow, mindful abdominal breaths that help steady your mind.
In some cases, we even hold our breath completely. Your first lesson of Meditation 101 is to learn how to breathe correctly.
Good news? It’s easy once you bring awareness to it. Breathe in deeply through your nose and expand your belly. Then, let your breath whoosh out and repeat in a steady flow. Start to take notice when you find yourself locking in your breath — both in and outside of meditation. Once aware, you can practice deep, conscious breathing that helps to still your mind. When you experience the power of being still, amazing things happen in your life!
Tip #2: Schedule Meditation — And Don’t Cancel
Do you find yourself putting off your meditation session, even if you’ve penciled it into your schedule? Why is that? Write down your reasons to better understand your behaviors and mindset.
If you notice the same excuses or obstacles keep you from meditating — work deadlines, kids, social obligations — awareness is the first step towards change.
Make your meditation non-negotiable, as you would a doctor’s appointment or important work meeting. Show up for yourself, and meditation will show up for you.
Tip #3: Create a Calming Meditation Space
Where do you feel most at peace in your home? What sets the mood for calm? Dim lights? Lavender oil diffusing in the air? Soft, lush textiles? Whatever it is, infuse those calming elements into your meditation space. You’ll feel better sitting still for twenty minutes in a space that makes you feel good.
Also, remember to clean up your space before beginning a meditation practice. Clutter is just another form of mental noise that will distract you from mindfulness.
Tip #4: Make Meditation a Daily Habit
You wouldn’t sacrifice time when it comes to your professional obligations or housework, so why do it with meditation? I often see clients squeeze meditation into 5-minute slots between tasks or push it to the bottom of their to-do list. Of course, that’s better than nothing. But you’re doing yourself and your path to stillness a disservice.
One of the best meditation tips I can give you is to allow yourself time to meditate. Set aside 20 minutes a day, ideally around the same time each day, so that you can build a habit.
Pro tip: Pair your meditation practice with another established habit of yours. For example, if you brush your teeth every day at the same time, schedule meditation for 20 minutes before you brush.
Tip 5: Acknowledge Your Thoughts
When you quiet the mind, sometimes unwanted emotions surface. You might feel discouraged if sad or distressing thoughts arise during your practice, but that’s normal. Some people wrongfully assume that meditation is clearing your thoughts altogether. That’s just impossible for us humans and our modern, fast-paced world.
Life has light and darkness, so acknowledge both sides that come up in your thoughts before letting them flow and go. Release them like a receding tide.
Tip #6: Ease In and Out Slowly
No one shows up on day one of meditation a pro. The art of transition is one of the essential meditation tips and techniques for beginners.
You might not find yourself in a prime meditative space right after a stressful day or right before a big meeting. Instead of jumping in immediately, take a few minutes to ease yourself in. Listen to some calming music or tidy up your space.
Before and after meditation, come back to your breath. Inhale and exhale for a few moments before moving on to your next tasks.
Tip #7: Show Yourself Compassion
It’s hard to know what to think about while meditating. When you quiet external noise and listen to your thoughts, how do they speak to you? Even if you can’t master meditation after a few sessions, that’s no reason to put yourself down. You won’t experience results every day, but that’s why meditation is called a practice.
Be compassionate and show yourself some love. The great thing about compassion is that there are many ways to show it. Start with kind thoughts, but keep it going with rest, time with loved ones, healthy eating, and even occasional indulgences.
You’re doing the best you can — that’s always enough.
Achieve Mindfulness: Meditation Tips for Stillness and Success!
With meditation, your ultimate goal is to practice stillness — the nirvana where you’re completely at peace with yourself and the world around you. Achieving inner calm isn’t easy, and meditation takes practice! With these meditation tips, though, I promise you’ll get closer to stillness and gain the peace and fulfillment you’ve been craving.
I use these meditation tips every morning when I practice stillness for 20 minutes. I even take them with me outside of my meditation space. I ease in and out of work tasks, breathe through stressful situations, and give myself lots of time to enjoy sailing.
Ready to reap all the stillness and meditation benefits? It’s time to enter the soothing, clear world of stillness. Start with these meditation tips, but I invite you to continue the momentum with my Stillness to Success Course. I even have a special offer going on right now to make the transition as simple and graceful as possible.
If you’ve tried any of these tips, let me know in the comments how they’ve worked for you!
Finally, I’ll leave you with a quote from Taoism founder Lao Tzu:
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