Finding Your Way In (Even When the Mind Is Loud)

Rebecca Preslar
5 days ago
2 min read

Meditation has always intrigued me. I’ve returned to it on and off over the years—sometimes consistently, sometimes only in short phases—usually during seasons when I was looking for a way to feel more grounded or less reactive. What kept tripping me up wasn’t a lack of interest, but the same familiar challenge: the moment I sat down, my mind got louder instead of quieter.

If you’ve experienced that, it’s not a failure—it’s actually a very common starting point.

One of the most helpful shifts for me was letting go of the idea that meditation means stopping thoughts. Instead, it became about changing my relationship to them. The thoughts still show up, but I don’t have to follow every one down a rabbit hole. Over time, that alone can feel regulating.

When the mind feels especially busy, a few approaches can make meditation more accessible:

Give the brain a gentle focus. Counting breaths, noticing physical sensations, or repeating a word or phrase gives attention somewhere to land.
Shorter is better than perfect. Even one to five minutes counts. Consistency matters more than duration.
Let someone guide you. Guided meditations can help reduce the pressure to “do it right,” especially when silence feels uncomfortable.

Guided tools were a turning point for me. There are countless options now, each with a slightly different style. Some popular meditation apps include Insight Timer, Calm, Headspace, Ten Percent Happier, Simple Habit, Breethe, and Aura. (I have not tried all of these apps, just sharing as options to explore). Exploring different voices, lengths, and approaches can make it easier to find something that actually fits your nervous system and lifestyle.

I’ve also personally resonated with Dr. Joe Dispenza’s meditations, which blend mindfulness with visualization and neuroscience. That approach helped meditation feel less abstract and more intentional—less about emptying the mind and more about training awareness and creating internal coherence.

What I’ve noticed over time is that meditation doesn’t always feel peaceful in the moment. Sometimes it feels restless, emotional, or even uncomfortable. But afterward, there’s often a subtle shift—a little more mental space, a calmer baseline, or a softer response to stress. Those small changes tend to build quietly over time.

A Brief Look at the Science

Research suggests that regular meditation may support stress reduction, emotional regulation, focus, and nervous system balance. Studies have linked mindfulness practices to changes in brain regions associated with attention, emotional processing, and stress response, as well as lower cortisol levels and improved heart rate variability. While experiences vary, these findings help explain why many people notice benefits beyond the meditation session itself.

Meditation doesn’t have to look a certain way to be valid. It can be guided or unguided, seated or lying down, paired with breathwork, journaling, or visualization. The most effective practice is simply the one you’ll return to—again and again.

If meditation has been on your radar for years, consider this permission to keep exploring. There’s no single right way in—just the next small step.