Let’s be honest—when you hear the word meditation, do you picture a monk sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop, totally at peace with the universe? Yeah, me too. But here’s the good news: you don’t need a robe, a mountaintop, or even total silence to meditate. Meditation is actually way more accessible than people think. And no, you don’t have to “clear your mind” (because let’s be real—that’s impossible).

The first time I learned about meditation was when I was 17, during my gap year program called “Breekjaar.” I sat on a chair, closed my eyes, and was told to focus on “nothing” (yes, good luck me). Our instructor compared the mind to a puppy—every time it wandered off, I was supposed to gently guide it back to its bench. The problem? My mind wasn’t just a single puppy; it was the entire cast of 101 Dalmatians, running wild. I figured meditation just wasn’t for me and left it at that.

Years passed without a second thought about meditating. Then, during a trip to New York, I found myself wide awake at night, thanks to the never-ending city noise. Desperate for sleep, I downloaded Headspace and decided to give meditation another shot. To my surprise, I was often asleep before the 10-minute session even finished. That was my first real experience of my brain actually shutting off—and that in the city that never sleeps.

I started using meditation not just for sleep but for stress and anxiety, too. Even on days when I couldn’t fully concentrate or my thoughts wandered, I still felt the benefits: better focus, lower stress, improved sleep, and a calmer, happier brain. But, as life got busier, meditation slowly fell off my radar. My Headspace app collected dust, and I fell back into old habits. That’s why I decided to dedicate a month to getting back into it—#MeditationMarch.

Here’s the thing: meditation is one of the most accessible wellness practices out there. You don’t have to leave the house, buy fancy equipment, or even pay for an app. Sure, a yoga mat or meditation pillow is nice, but they’re not necessary. There are plenty of free options, like Insight Timer or YouTube meditation channels.

My plan was simple: a 5-minute Headspace meditation in the morning (“Own Your Morning”) and a 10-minute Boho Beautiful session before bed. And honestly? Game-changer.

The morning meditation helped me wake up feeling grounded instead of groggy. It kept me from mindlessly scrolling my phone first thing or hitting snooze for the tenth time. A few light yoga stretches and some deep breaths later, and I felt ready to take on the day—way more than if I had just stayed in bed for another 30 minutes. I’m someone who needs a slow, intentional start to the day, and meditation turned out to be the perfect way to ease into my mornings.

Evenings became calmer, too. My usual routine involved watching a show or scrolling through YouTube Shorts (I don’t have TikTok, don’t come for me). But I never liked the idea of hopping straight into bed after staring at a screen for hours. Swapping mindless scrolling for meditation made such a difference. Instead of getting a dopamine rush from fast-paced videos, I let meditation bring me a sense of peace. The best part? Unlike social media, meditation actually boosts serotonin and melatonin while lowering cortisol—aka, it helps you relax and sleep better (science-backed, by the way).

After my nighttime meditation, I no longer felt the urge to watch one more video or scroll endlessly. Instead, I’d grab a book and read a few pages before bed. My sleep improved (and yes, I track it with SleepCycle, so I know it wasn’t just in my head), and I woke up feeling more rested.

One unexpected side effect? The more at peace I felt, the less I wanted to buy things. I wasn’t searching for external validation through random purchases—I felt content with what I had. According to The Map of Consciousness, peace is one of the highest emotional frequency states, and I felt that. The usual cravings for more, more, more? Gone.

Looking back, this was one of my favorite monthly challenges yet (I mean, we’re only in the 3rd month but still). Meditation isn’t about achieving instant enlightenment or becoming a Zen master overnight. It’s about giving your mind a break in a world that’s constantly demanding your attention. And if fifteen minutes a day can make this much of a difference, why not give it a try?