You Don’t Have To Sit In A Cave For Hours Chanting “Om” To Meditate!
If you’ve ever felt like your mind is a browser with 37 tabs open — half of them playing music — you’re not alone. In a world filled with endless information, notifications, overstimulation and the occasional existential crisis at 2 a.m., finding inner peace can feel impossible.
Hi there, welcome to the group chat mindfulness and meditation — the dynamic duo that are on the same wave length who can help you quiet the mental noise, bring balance to your emotions, and finally stop you overanalysing that awkward thing you said three years ago to people you don’t even hang out with anymore.
In this blog, we’ll break down what mindfulness is, how to incorporate it into your daily routine, and why meditation is basically your brain’s version of a spa day.
What is Mindfulness?
At its core, mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment — not lost in the past, not worrying about the future, just here, right now. It’s about observing your thoughts without judgment and becoming more aware of your emotions, body and surroundings.
Sounds simple when you put it like that, right? But if you’ve ever tried to focus on your breathing and immediately started thinking about what you want for dinner, congratulations, you’re human. The good news is mindfulness is a skill, and like any skill, it gets easier with practice.
I used to get so caught up in ‘What’s next’ because I was a planner, and people would always ask me, so I felt like I needed a response. Constant planning and scenario analysing plan A, B, C to Z can get exhausting. I decided to try mindfulness, thinking it would be an instant fix (after all that’s what the podcasts and books said). The first time I sat down to meditate, I lasted about 30 seconds before wondering when I should take a shower, then immediately thought I’d failed. But I’m no quitter so over time, I learned that mindfulness isn’t about sitting there and stopping your thoughts — it’s about observing them and bringing yourself back to the present moment. Letting things happen as they were, that shift changed my life.
If your mind feels like a hamster running on a wheel, here are a few ways to slow it down.
Steps to Practice Mindfulness Daily
1. Start Your Morning Without Scrolling
The way you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows. Instead of diving straight into emails or Instagram, take a few deep breaths, stretch, or enjoy a quiet cuppa.
2. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, use this simple trick:
✔ 5 things you can see
✔ 4 things you can touch
✔ 3 things you can hear
✔ 2 things you can smell
✔ 1 thing you can taste
It’s an easy way to anchor yourself in the present moment.
3. Practice Mindful Eating
Ever finished a meal and realised you barely tasted your food because you were so distracted with other things? Mindful eating is about savouring every bite, noticing textures and flavours, and actually chewing your food instead of inhaling it like a vacuum (who's triggered?). Your digestion (and your gut) will thank you too!
4. Take Mindful Walks
Next time you go for a walk, leave your phone at home or keep it in your pocket the whole time, no headphones and focus on the sights, sounds, smells and sensations around you. Feel the ground under your feet, listen to the birds sing, and notice the wind in your face. Walking meditation is a real thing — and it’s as refreshing and beautiful as it sounds.
5. Use Breathwork to Reset
One of the quickest ways to calm your nervous system is through intentional breathing. A simple technique to try: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four (box breathing). This is so good to manage stress levels as your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system is activated.
How Meditation Brings Balance to Your Life
Mindfulness is about being present throughout the day, whereas meditation is your dedicated time to train your brain — like a workout for your mind, minus the sweat (unless you’re in a hot climate, sweat could be present).
The Science Behind Meditation
Regular meditation has been shown to:
✔ Reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone)
✔ Improve focus and emotional balance
✔ Enhance sleep quality
✔ Strengthen the connection between mind, body and soul
And no, you don’t have to sit in a cave for hours chanting “om” to meditate! You can if you want (I do love an om) but meditation can be as simple as:
Guided meditations (using apps like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer)
Breath-focused meditation (just observing your breath, there are so many different breath work techniques that give a slightly different result to your energy)
Body scan meditation (starting from your toes to your crown, scanning each part and noticing the sensations in your body)
Loving-kindness meditation (sending positive thoughts to yourself and others - every day, in every way, I am getting better and better)
When I first started meditating, I assumed I had to clear my mind completely and sit there in silence for 30 minutes without moving. Truly when you accept that thoughts will come and go and, despite this, return to the present moment, you bring so much strength to your mental resilience.
Your 5-Minute Mindfulness Challenge
If you’re new to mindfulness, start with just five minutes a day. Set a timer, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. When your mind wanders (and it will), gently bring it back. That’s it. No pressure, no perfection — just presence.
What’s your favourite way to practice mindfulness? Do you have a go-to meditation or breathwork exercise? Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear what works for you!
With love and balance my Friends x
P.S. Here are some recommendations for you if you are looking for more:
Book - Jon Kabat-Zinn has been one of the leading experts to bring mindfulness into the Western world. His book, Wherever You Go, There You Are, is a great intro to mindfulness, with simple yet profound insights on how to bring mindfulness into everyday life.
Podcast - Rather than an episode, here is a whole podcast, 10% Happier with Dan Harris, which dives into how mindfulness can improve your life. Plenty of practical advice and he often explores the intersection of science and mindfulness (which I rate).
Article - Harvard Health Publishing has an article, Can mindfulness change your brain? which gets into the scientific research behind mindfulness and how it actually works in the brain - really cool how it helps sustain your attention span.
