Stop 🛑 trying to stop your thoughts

Many people think the purpose of meditation is to clear your mind of all thoughts.

“I’m not good at meditation,” I’ve heard countless times. “All I do is think the entire time.”

Here’s the thing: meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about becoming aware of them, acknowledging them, and letting them go.

Think of your thoughts like clouds.☁️ They float into your awareness, you notice them, and then you let them drift on by. We get into trouble when we grab onto a cloud- turning it into a storm of stories, emotions, and spiraling thoughts.

Meditation helps us break that cycle. By practicing letting go of thoughts during meditation, we strengthen our ability to do the same in everyday life.

And the benefits? They’re incredible (and backed by science!):

➡️ Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

➡️ Improve memory and mental clarity (even protecting against age-related memory loss).

➡️ Increase focus and attention span.

➡️ Strengthen willpower, helping you break unhealthy habits.

➡️ Enjoy better sleep and lower blood pressure.

➡️ Cultivate greater self-awareness and compassion- for yourself and others.

Pema Chödrön said it best:

“We don’t sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that we’ll be more awake in our lives.”

Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. You can sit for 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or however long feels good for you. It’s all about finding a style you enjoy and amount of time that fits into your schedule.

For me, starting my mornings with a 20 minute meditation creates space to show up more fully for the rest of my day. But sometimes I need to shorten it, and that’s ok. With meditation, a little is better than none.

If you’re looking for a place to begin, I’ve shared some free meditations on my YouTube channel. You’ll find a couple of practices to explore- perfect whether you’re new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice.

Remember- meditation is called a “practice.” We’re meant to practice releasing our thoughts as they come up in our meditation so that we are more skilled at doing so during the rest of our day, outside of our meditation practice.

Whether it’s one minute or 20, every moment you spend meditating is a step toward more clarity, calm, and connection.

Here’s to creating a little more space in your life (and in your head!).

🤍 Courtney