Small shifts, big changes: why meditation is simpler than you think

Sharon Cole
May 8
3 min read

A few weeks ago, I spent a beautiful day at the Waves of Wellness Retreat, hosted by the amazing Zoe Roberts of Zoe Roberts Therapies. It was a day full of gentle healing: relaxing, releasing tension, setting intentions for the season ahead — and sharing space with like-minded souls in the most peaceful setting.

One part of the day that really stayed with me was simply spending time on the mat, meditating. Not because it was new to me — but because it reminded me just how quietly powerful these moments of awareness can be.

It also took me back to when I first came across meditation in my twenties, before I had discovered my love for all things holistic. Back then, meditation wasn’t even on my radar. It sounded impossible, frustrating, and, quite honestly, like something meant for other people — not for someone like me.

At the time, my way of coping with stress was to stay busy. If I felt overwhelmed, I would work harder, endlessly surf the internet for new clothes, or distract myself with anything that kept my mind occupied. Sitting in silence sounded like torture. And when I did try, I was often so exhausted, I would just fall asleep!

Yet even with all the distractions, I couldn't ignore the low-level tension that I carried with me, even on quiet days. My mind was always racing — replaying conversations, worrying about what might happen, never really resting.

It was around then that a reflexologist I trusted suggested I try meditation. I didn’t exactly leap into it with open arms — I simply figured I had nothing to lose.

💛 And slowly, gently, things started to change.

Not overnight. Not in a flash of enlightenment. It was more like a dimmer switch — subtle, soft, and almost unnoticeable at first.

I realised meditation wasn’t about “emptying” my mind. It wasn’t about forcing myself to stop thinking (if that were the goal, I would have quit immediately!).

Instead, it was about noticing. Watching my thoughts without getting caught up in them — like sitting beside a busy road, watching the cars pass by without needing to chase after them.

And little by little, I noticed:

🌿 Shorter bursts of calm throughout my day

🌿 A tiny space between reacting and responding

🌿 Less overthinking and emotional spiralling

🌿 A softer relationship with stress

Meditation didn’t make me a different person. It simply helped me show up more fully for my own life — to be more present for the things I love, the people I cherish, and even the challenges I face.

It helped me step out of autopilot.

It helped me live, instead of just rushing through.

If you’ve ever been curious about meditation — or felt sceptical — here’s what I’ve learned:

✨ You don’t need to “clear your mind.” That’s not the point.

✨ Start small: 2–5 minutes is enough.

✨ Make it easy: sit or lie down: however feels good.

✨ Expect your mind to wander — and know that’s perfectly normal.

✨ It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence.

Meditation can be sitting in a quiet room… It can also be feeling the sun on your face, taking a mindful breath between appointments, or noticing the feel of your feet on the ground.

It’s not something separate from life.

It’s how you live your life.

As Jon Kabat-Zinn so beautifully reminds us:

"The real meditation is how you live your life."

🌸 So this month, I’m inviting you to breathe a little deeper.

Pause a little longer.

Notice a little more.

You don’t have to change who you are.

You don’t have to strive to be "more mindful."

You just need to be here — just as you are — and breathe.

And if you ever need a space to exhale fully, reconnect, and recharge, you know where to find me. 🌿

Sending love, calm, and breathfulness,