So you've heard of meditation and think it sounds a little too lah lah for you? Or maybe you've tried it but all your mind does is remind you of the things you need to get done today and how you don't really have time to be sitting here all Ghandi style? Well I felt pretty much the same and honestly i'm still getting the hang of it!

I have found though that with a few tweaks, meditation can potentially revamp your world. So, grab a cosy spot, channel your inner zen, and let's dive into the transformative power of meditation!

Get zen - even in your dressing gown

Let's start with the basics, shall we? First, you might just fall asleep. You have a lot on your plate after all! Or you might go the other way and end up more stressed than you started because your mind decided to remind you of that time you walked into the wrong screen at the cinema. Confusing everyone by waltzing in halfway through the wrong film and sitting down before realising these were not pre-film adverts and you have in fact just interrupted everyone watching their chosen film. Queue now having to skulk back out with everyone laughing at you. (Yep that did happen and it still makes me cringe)

So I find getting the best out of meditation requires a little prep work. I mean the beauty of meditation is meant to lie in its simplicity and profound impact on our well-being, so i'm not suggesting a whole lot of prep. But we need to get our space and mind ready so that our mediation time is like a mental spa day. So if it helps get your mind into this space, grab a face mask, your dressing gown and some cucumber slices and voila - zen space created! Whatever works!

Finding Your Calm

Creating your personal meditation space is key. Think cozy blankets, soft pillows, maybe a scented candle or two. But if this isn't your scene, just go with quiet. Anywhere you can find with no distractions is a good place to meditate. I like to sit by a window. There's something about the warm sunshine coming through the glass that helps me feel grounded.

If all this fluffy stuff just isn't for you, just meditate as a way of falling asleep at night. Seriously, there's no right or wrong with this. If the closest you can get to a meditative state is relaxing your mind when you are in bed and falling asleep, then great, at least you got your beauty sleep, right? Meditation really is just about finding your inner peace in your unique way.

Breathing Techniques for Zen Queens

Ah, the art of breathing – sounds simple, right? Well, as I discovered, it's not just inhale, exhale; there's a whole world of breathing exercises to be explored! Deep breaths, belly breaths, breathe out the stress. But don't worry too much about getting lost in all this. I find the simplest of techniques is the easiest. Just breathe out for longer than you breathed in. Yep, simples. 

Mantra Magic

Ah, mantras – the magical words that can transform your mindset and your day. Picture this: you, repeating "I am calm and centred" like a chant during a chaotic day at work. Suddenly, the chaos seems a bit less chaotic, and you feel a sense of calm wash over you. Who knew a simple mantra could work wonders, right?

OK, this works for some people, but honestly it's not for everyone. So I suggest some tweaking to your mantras if they aren't working for you.

Firstly, instead of picking a random positive thing to say to yourself, choose something you wholeheartedly believe. It doesn't need to be related to the situation. For instance, your workload is through the roof and you don't know how you will get through it but you have great nails. You just had them done last week and they still haven't chipped. It's completely ok for your mantra to be "I don't know how I will get through all this work today but whatever happens, I have the best damn looking nails in the office."

Then secondly, make sure you don't go into 'mantra overdrive'. If you are repeating things over and over, hoping they will come true, this isn't how best to use mantras. This is panic thinking. What you need is confidence. So just say it to yourself the once with absolute conviction and then crack on with your day.

Guided Meditation

If you are completely new to meditation, guided meditations are your new best friend. Trust me, I've tried meditating solo only to end up planning my shopping list in my head. But guided sessions? They're like having a zen guru hold your hand (metaphorically, of course) through the meditation journey. It's like having a serene cheerleader rooting for you!

If you've been trying guided meditation and it all feels a bit too woo woo for you, maybe try one of these alternatives. I find without music, they are a little less 'fluffy'.

Joseph Goldstein no music meditation

No music meditation

Making Time for Meditation

We are all busy and we all have an awful lot of responsibilities so it's completely understandable if meditation is pretty far down on your list. A lot of people recommend meditating in the morning to start your day in a mindful way and that's a great idea but not always realistic!

So when it comes to finding the time to meditate, I say there's no right way and if you need to chunk in meditating with something else, it's not impossible. You could for instance focus on being mindful while you are doing housework, going for a run, walking your dog or just listening to music. Great if you're able to block out specific time for meditation in your diary but if your day is packed and you just don't get around to it then by all means just meditate as you fall asleep.

Meditation Moods: From Stress Ball to Zen Master

Meditation isn't a one-size-fits-all deal – there are styles to suit every mood and need and sometimes the reason meditation hasn't worked for someone yet is that they haven't found the right fit for them. Feeling stressed? Try a calming meditation to soothe your nerves. Feeling uninspired? A creativity-boosting meditation might be just what you need. It's like having a mood ring for your mind – but way more effective!

The simplest way to find a meditation quickly to suit your mood is to try and work out your strongest feeling right now. Is it stressed, angry, tired, bored? Or content, energised or relaxed? If your strongest feeling is something you consider a negative emotion, look for mediation on the opposite of this feeling. If you're feeling positive emotions, look for mediation on this feeling type to build further on it.

Creative Visualisation: Manifesting Magic

Ever tried envisioning your dream life during meditation? I did – complete with a beachfront villa and a large cocktail (hey, a girl can dream!). Creative visualisation is like planting seeds of possibility in your mind, setting the stage for your wildest dreams to come true. It's like having a built-in vision board in your brain! There are tons of visualisation techniques out there and even fun 'projects' you can give your mind to work on. Why not try one of these Mind Projects as a start -

www.featheredpaths.co.uk

Imagination tools - Giving your mind a fun project, it actually wants to work on.The what - Work on one of these projects in your mind, just for a giggle. Pick one of the below. Try a different one each day, or even make up one of your own. Try to create as much detail as possible and don't be afraid to dream big, get silly and really have fun with this. There are no rules with these projects! • Design the most amazing fantasy workplace. This is a place where people absolutely love to come to wo

Mindfulness Moments

If you've tried all of the above and meditation still isn't sitting right with you, no problemo amigo. Let's talk about being present in the moment instead.

Mindfulness is absolutely a form of meditation and can be applied anywhere, anytime. From savouring that morning cup of coffee to feeling the grass beneath your feet, mindfulness is all about cherishing each moment. One of my favourite moments of mindfulness is when I'm curled up on the sofa with my dog, stroking his soft fur whilst he snoozes and just listening to him breathe. It's absolute bliss and it lets my mind switch off, just for a little bit.

If you still think mindfulness and meditation is a load of phooey, then check out these very off the wall guided meditations. At the very least, they will give your mind something to focus on, other than the million things it's normally stressing about and hey, it might even give you a laugh! (pre-warning some of these do contain some strong language!)

Meditation for b**ches who don't meditate

Try not to laugh Meditation

Misguided meditation for sleep

Guided meditation - Sketch Comedy

Alternatives

If finding the time, the space or the mindset for meditation is proving to be just too tricky then maybe consider some alternatives. Meditation is really about giving your mind space and there are plenty of ways to do this, if you just can't get on with meditation. Any of these can give your mind some space and focus when you need it;

• Take a nap

• Write/Journal

• Paint, draw, make or build something

• Complete puzzles or colouring books

• Listen to relaxing music

• Sunbathe or find a place to quietly watch the world go by

• Solo exercise like running, walking, cycling or swimming

Here's a video to give you even more ideas - 5 best alternatives to meditation

So there you have it, 10 ways to meditate, even if you don't think meditation is for you. Remember, meditation isn't about being perfect; it's about finding your unique path to inner peace and well-being. So, find a cosy corner, take a deep breath, and let meditation work its magic in your life. Here's to a world of zen, laughter, and transformation – one breath at a time!