Meditation: It’s Not Just for Hippies, Monks or People with Incense Holders
How meditation can actually work for overstimulated adults (even with ADHD)
Let’s get something out of the way.
I know the word “meditation” can cause an actual eye twitch in some people. Say it in a room full of Brits and you’ll get one of three responses:
“Oh yeah, I do it every morning - swear by it.”
“I’ve been meaning to try it… I think?”
The full-body recoil. Like I’ve just asked them to attend a silent retreat with no WiFi and bring their own herbal tea.
Why Does Meditation Feel So Weird?
I think part of the problem is how we were raised.
Meditation wasn’t a thing in school.
No one taught us how to sit still and just be. We were too busy labelling parts of a flower and reciting the periodic table. (Useful, obviously.)
So it’s no surprise that for many people, meditation for beginners feels foreign. It’s not part of our “growing up” toolkit. And now we’re trying to learn it as overstimulated adults with a caffeine addiction and far too many browser tabs open in our minds.
My (Very Un-Spiritual) Start with Meditation
I didn’t start meditating until my early 30s.
It began with five minutes at the end of a yoga class - flat on the mat, eyes closed, half-wondering if I was doing it “right.”
That was my entry point.
No incense. No spiritual breakthroughs. Just stillness at the end of movement.
Fast forward 18 years, and I’ve built that up to an hour when I want to. Not every day. Not religiously. But consistently enough that it’s changed things.
And I say this as someone with ADHD. My brain’s not exactly known for its stillness—more like a mental circus most days.
So if you're thinking, "I could never do that," I want you to know: I thought that too.
The Real Benefits of Meditation (No Incense Required)
Meditation gives your brain a breather.
It’s like putting your thoughts on silent mode.
Not forever. Not perfectly. Just enough to give your nervous system a break from the constant scrolling, planning, talking, doing.
Think of it like basic maintenance:
Like brushing your teeth - but for your head.
A pause button for your thoughts.
A mental reset (without needing a weekend away in nature).
What Meditation Actually Looks Like
Here’s the truth: meditation doesn’t need to look like anything.
I’ve sat in sound baths, chanted at the top of mountains, and yes, been in plant medicine ceremonies. But that’s what meditation became for me - not where it started.
Your version might look like:
Five quiet minutes in the car
Getting lost in music
Being absorbed in a hobby so much your mind stops shouting instructions
It doesn’t need incense.
It doesn’t need silence.
It just needs a moment of presence.
How to Start Meditating (Without Overthinking It)
If you’re curious but don’t know where to start …….. start small.
One of the easiest tools I recommend?
Insight Timer – a free app with guided meditations (try 5 minutes max to begin).
Stick it on before bed. Let someone else’s calm voice lead you to sleep.
No pressure. No trying to “achieve calm.” Just a soft landing.
It’s like the bedtime routine we give to babies:
Warm bath
Dim lights
Warm milk
Little lullaby
Bed
Simple. Soothing. Designed to settle the body.
Somehow, as adults, we’ve replaced that with bright screens and busy thoughts, then wonder why we’re wide awake at 1am.
Stillness Feels Strange - That Doesn’t Mean You’re Doing It Wrong
If the idea of meditation still makes you squirm…
You’re not broken. You’re just used to noise.
Stillness can feel uncomfortable if you haven’t had much practice with it.
Maybe it feels pointless.
Maybe it feels silly.
Maybe the thought of sitting with your own thoughts feels like punishment.
I get it.
But you don’t have to do it perfectly. You don’t even have to enjoy it straight away.
What Meditation Gave Me (Beyond Calm)
The biggest shift for me?
Meditation gave me my own company back.
The kind that isn’t filtered through noise or urgency.
Just me, being okay with me.
And more than that - it gave me calm.
Not the kind you fake with a deep breath before another busy day.
The kind that settles in your bones.
I feel more comfortable in myself now.
More in control of how I show up.
And……. I never thought I’d say this - but I trust myself more.
Which, when you think about it, is a pretty massive shift…
For something that looks like sitting still and doing nothing.
Final Thoughts: Meditation for Beginners Is Simpler Than You Think
So if you’re wondering where to start, start here:
✨ Five quiet minutes.
Not to fix yourself.
Not to get anywhere.
Just to meet yourself, without the noise.