Mindfulness for beginners can be a confusing topic at first — is it meditation? Is it about clearing your mind? Is there a right or wrong way to do it?
As a mindfulness coach, I’ve worked with people from all walks of life, and almost everyone starts with the same questions:
What exactly is mindfulness?
What are the benefits of mindfulness?
How do I start practicing mindfulness, and what if I’m bad at it?
What should I be thinking about during meditation?
How long should you meditate?
Does meditation really work — or is it just hype?
This guide is here to answer those questions in a simple way without the jargon.
We’ll explore what a meditative mindset really means (hint: it’s not about thinking nothing) and give you easy, realistic ways to start practicing today.
I won’t overload you with theory just the essentials you need to begin your own practice with clarity.
Let’s begin.
What Is Mindfulness, Really?
You’ve probably heard mindfulness described in a dozen different ways.
Maybe someone told you it’s about meditation. Maybe you saw it mentioned in a podcast on mental health.
Or maybe you’ve just wanted to learn how to be present in your life.
Let's Get It Clear
Mindfulness, at its core, is a particular way of paying attention. It means tuning in to the present moment with gentle curiosity.
You might notice your thoughts, your body, or what’s happening around you. You’re not trying to fix or change anything. You’re simply becoming aware, with care and without judgment.
It may sound simple, and in many ways, it is. But it also opens the door to a deeper experience of life.
When we become truly present, we interrupt the patterns that run the show subconsciously. Instead of reacting automatically, we create space to respond with intention.
The definition I return to in my own practice is this:
Mindfulness refers to a particular way of paying attention to our present experience with a curious and non-judgmental attitude toward everything that we may experience.
Practicing this could mean paying attention to your breath, the taste of your food, or the emotions that rise during a conversation, but why practice mindfulness?
Well in short mindfulness will become more and more your state of being rather than soemthing you practice, and that comes with a lot of benefits that we’ll outline the in the next section.
What are the benefits of mindfulness?
Let’s be honest: we’re all busy, and if we’re going to try something new, we want to know what we’ll actually get from it.
Well, I am happy to report that when it comes to mindfulness, the question should really be: what don’t you get from it? Because that’s how vast the benefits are.
It isn’t just a trendy wellness word, it’s a practice that supports your well-being on every level: Mind, Body and Soul.
Over 200 studies have been conducted on mindfulness, and between 1966 and 2021, researchers published more than 16,500 scientific papers on the topic.
Here are all the benefits they found:
- Reduced symptoms of stress
- Reduced symptoms of depression
- Reduced symptoms of anxiety
- Reduced symptoms of IBS and other gastric disorders
- Reduced symptoms of psoriasis and other skin conditions
- Reduced intensity of perceived pain related to chronic pain conditions
- Reduced high blood pressure
- Increased ability to manage frustration and unexpected changes
- Increased feelings of satisfaction
- Increased ability to find joy in everyday life
- Increased capacity to prevent depression relapses in patients with recurring mild-moderate depression
- Increased ability to concentrate while performing a particular task
- Increased ability to pay attention
- Increased working memory
- Increased ability to think before reacting
- Increased ability to feel compassion for self and others
- Increased self-understanding
- Increased resilience
- Increased ability to see the bigger picture
- Increased emotional intelligence
- Increased cognitive flexibility
- Improved sleep
- Improved response of the immune system
- Improved interpersonal communication
- Activation of the relaxation response
- Less mind wandering and rumination due to a decrease in the activation of the Default Mode Network (DMN)
- Positive changes in genetic structure
Is that enough of a reason for you? There’s no denying it, mindfulness is beneficial.
So, how do you actually start reaping the rewards of these benefits? :et’s look at how to practice
How do I start practicing mindfulness—and what if I’m bad at it?
First, let’s clear something up: you can’t be bad at mindfulness. Truly.
This isn’t about doing it right, it’s about showing up, again and again.
Mindfulness is a skill, and like any skill, it gets stronger with practice. You don’t need a perfect cushion or a silent mind. You just need a willingness to notice the present moment with gentleness and curiosity over and over.
There are two main ways to begin practicing mindfulness
Formal Mindfulness Practice
This is what most people picture when they think of mindfulness practice.
You set aside intentional time, whether sitting, lying down, or walking, to focus your attention on something like the breath. When your mind wanders (and it will), you simply notice and gently return.
These are your formal practices: meditation, yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, any practice where you choose to be present with your breath or your body’s movements.
It does not have to be long. Five minutes or forty, what matters most is consistency. This is your dedicated time to strengthen focus, awareness, and inner calm.
Informal Mindfulness Practice
This is mindfulness woven into everyday life. It means bringing that same gentle attention to your morning coffee, your walk to work, or even brushing your teeth.
You notice the sensations, the breath, the thoughts, without needing to change anything. Informal practice is powerful because it turns your life into a meditation.
Both forms are equally important.
Think of formal practice like going to the gym for your mind. Informal practice is how you integrate that strength into the rest of your day.
No matter where you start, the most important thing is simply to begin.
How long should you practice mindfulness?
When it comes to how long you should meditate, the first thing to know is this: consistency is more important than duration.
Practicing mindfulness every single day, even for just a few minutes, has a bigger impact than doing one long session every so often. And I mean that. 2 minutes of dedicated mindfulness daily will always beach 1 hour of mindfulness 1x a week.
That said, most of the research on mindfulness is based on individuals practicing for 20 to 40 minutes per day day over eight weeks.
That’s where many of the benefits, like reduced stress, better focus, and improved emotional regulation, start to show up.
Still, if 20 minutes feels like too much right now, start where you are. Think of it like going to the gym.
Practicing for five minutes every day builds more strength than doing one intense session a week. What matters most is showing up regularly, not perfectly.
What to think about during meditation
This is one of the most common questions I get as a mindfulness coach: What am I supposed to think about when I meditate?
Here’s the thing: you shouldn’t be trying to think about anything.
It’s simply about noticing where your mind goes, then gently guiding it back to something steady. That steady thing is often called your anchor, or sometimes your awareness object.
Your anchor or awareness object could be your breath, the feeling of your feet on the floor, the sound of birds outside, or even a calming word or phrase repeated silently. The key is to choose something simple and come back to it, again and again.
It’s important to note that you’re also not trying to stop your thoughts. You’re learning to observe them with kindness instead of getting swept away by them.
It’s something like this: focus is on your anchor, a thought comes, you notice that you’re thinking and what you’re thinking, and you bring your awareness back to your anchor. Doing that over and over and over again is meditation.
Over time, this practice helps you stay more grounded, more focused, and more responsive vs reactive in everyday life.
Start Your Practice!
By now, you’ve learned what mindfulness is, why it’s worth practicing, and how to begin in a way that fits your life.
Whether you’re drawn to a few quiet minutes in the morning or want to feel more present as you go through your day, the important thing is that you’ve started.
Some days it will feel natural. Other days it might feel messy.
But every time you return to your breath or your body or simply to what is real right now, you are practicing.
If you’re ready to build a consistent habit, I’d love to invite you into the 21-Day Meditation Challenge.
You’ll receive short, guided practices delivered daily to help you create space, find stillness, and begin to trust your own inner rhythm.
It’s a simple way to commit to yourself and gently begin a practice that can support your well-being for years to come.
You can sign up for free here to get started today.
And if you’d like to explore more, don’t miss our article on Why Practice Mindfulness: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science for the Mind, Body, and Soul, or go deeper into the basics with Defining Mindfulness.
