The Best Time to Meditate (& How to Start If You're New to It)

Hey friend,

Let’s talk about something simple, powerful, and quietly life-changing once you let it be: meditation.

If you’ve ever been curious about it or tried it once and wondered if you were doing it “wrong”you’re not alone. I used to think meditation meant sitting perfectly still, clearing my mind completely, and somehow reaching a calm, enlightened state on the first try.

Spoiler: that didn’t happen.

What I’ve learned is that meditation isn’t about doing anything perfectly. It’s about creating a small, intentional space for yourself. A pause. A breath. A moment where you come back to you. That’s it. And the best part is, you don’t need hours, special tools, or experience. You can start small. You can start right where you are.

One of the first questions I asked myself was, “When’s the best time to meditate?” And honestly, the best time is the one that fits into your life in a way that feels supportive, not forced.

That said, there’s something really beautiful about meditating in the morning. The world is quieter. Your mind hasn’t yet been pulled in ten different directions. Even a few minutes of stillness after waking can shift the entire tone of your day. It helps you move through your hours with more calm, more clarity, and a little less reactivity.

Evening meditation can be just as powerful, especially if your days feel full or heavy. It’s like giving your mind a gentle rinse after everything it’s been holding. You sit, you breathe, and you let the tension soften. For me, it often helps me sleep more deeply and wake up feeling clearer. Sometimes it’s simply a quiet moment to reflect, to release, to say, “That’s enough for today.”

But here’s the thing: meditation doesn’t belong only to mornings or nights. It can meet you whenever you need a reset. Midday. On your lunch break. After a hard conversation. In the middle of a busy workday. You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment. The real magic of meditation is that it’s portable. It’s yours.

If you’re just starting out, let go of the idea of doing it “right.” You don’t need incense, a special cushion, or complete silence. I started sitting on the edge of my bed, eyes half-closed, phone timer set for five minutes. I focused on my breath feeling the inhale, feeling the exhale.

And yes, my mind wandered. A lot.

That’s part of the practice. Meditation isn’t about emptying your mind. It’s about noticing when your thoughts drift and gently bringing your attention back. Over and over again. It’s a practice, not a performance.

Some days my meditation feels calm and grounding. Other days it feels restless and messy. But it always gives me something, more space, more softness, more awareness. The more I show up for it, the more those small shifts ripple into the rest of my life.

So if you’ve been waiting for a sign to try meditation, maybe this is it.

Start small. Be gentle with yourself. Light a candle if you want, or don’t. Sit by a window. Put on soft music. Or simply close your eyes wherever you are and take a few slow breaths. It’s not about what it looks like. It’s about how it feels.

Because even one quiet minute where you breathe, listen, and simply be, can change how you meet the rest of your day.

Sending you calm, light, and a moment of peace whenever you need it.