Before we dive in, a brief disclosure: Meditation is hard for me. I am not one of those people who spends 30 minutes a day meditating criss-crossed on the floor while the sun rises. My brain does not “shut off” ever, to the point where I need to have the TV on in order to fall asleep because without one thing to focus on, my mind races with thoughts (we are working on it!!). Meditation never felt “natural,” or “easy,” but it has absolutely transformed my life. I now think of meditations as my go-to cure all. Want to wind down before bed? Meditate. Need an energy boost during an afternoon slump? Meditate. Unsure of what you truly want out of life and how to get there? Meditate. Feeling anxious, depressed, sad, nervous, or worried? You got it–meditate.

After all, meditation is not innately this miraculous special ritual where there’s one right way to do it and it unlocks all of your wildest dreams. Meditation simply means allowing the world around you to be silent enough that you can actually listen to your body and deepest intuition. We are bombarded with stimulation and are not wired to sit in stillness, even for a second (be honest–do you check your phone even just waiting for the elevator or during a commercial break?). Meditation simply means removing the stimulation to be still with ourselves. It’s not technically adding a ritual; it’s removing the unnatural things around us. I think of meditation as a crucial part of my detox routine, because it helps you detoxify the stress, thoughts, emotions, negativity, and busyness in your mind, leaving you with clarity, stillness, and peace.

So as the girl who cannot sit in quietness on a yoga mat for long periods of time, here are a few different forms/tools of meditation I rotate between, when I use them, and why they might work for you too.

Types of Meditations and When I Use Them

Dr. Joe Dispenza

Why I love: I’ve talked a lot about why I love Dr. Joe Dispenza’s work and how reading Becoming Supernatural literally transformed my life and the way I saw my health, career, relationships, etc. If manifestation is a little too woo-woo for you or you’re more into research-backed wellness than just what feels good, Joe is your man. He lays out very specific techniques for meditation that is worth a deep dive (a blog post for another day), but I love this meditation (free on Youtube!) of his and go back to it often. It feels like a strategy session between you and the universe because it walks you through literally mapping out all aspects of your life.
Length: 20-30 minutes is what he recommends (my favorite meditation is 24 minutes)
When I use it: If I had more time in my mornings I would do this every day. But alas since I am still human and cannot get that much time, I will do this meditation occasionally once a week if I’m really into it (doing it on Sundays is great because it helps you start fresh, get clear on your visions, etc.). But for the most part, I do this meditation about once a month to check in on my goals, dedicate more time to manifesting my future, etc. Bonus: it’s extra powerful when you’re in your menstrual phase when you’re preparing for new life, when your brain is literally wired for creation and reflection.

Superhuman App

Why I love: I literally could not meditate until I got this app, and now I meditate every single day. It is my greatest hack for anyone looking to get into meditation. Besides having a variety of times (anywhere from a 2 minute “pep talk” to an hour-long manifestation meditation), they offer a variety of topics. From body image to setting new goals to feeling confident before going out, there’s so many options that you’ll identify with. I also love it because it’s not just for sitting in stillness meditations–try their walking meditations, meditations while grocery shopping, meditations while getting ready for a night out, etc.–genius!
Length: 2-45+ minutes
When I use it: I use this app so many different ways so let me break it down from first thing in the morning, on (I don’t do all of these every day–I check in with what I need and it looks different every day). Some mornings I will start off with a 5-minute or under meditation when I sit down at my desk, before I open my laptop. It really helps get me centered, de-stressed, and energized. When I’m doing my makeup and getting ready before a small group program or podcast, I will always do one of the meditations centered around tapping into your highest self. Most nights, I will do a 10ish minute meditation before bed to wind down (almost always with legs up the wall, which is great for relaxation and supporting the lymphatic system). Lastly, I love listening to podcasts on my walk, but if I’m needing extra motivation or want to go for an extra long walk, I will do a walking meditation for your highest self and it is *chef’s kiss*

Journaling meditation

Why I love: Sitting still is hard. It is called a practice for a reason. We are so used to being stimulated 24/7 that it’s hard to meditate and you really have to work your way up to it–but it is absolutely crucial that you have a sitting-in-stillness practice. However, sometimes I feel called to let my thoughts flow onto paper in the time I would otherwise take to meditate, or I need a more visual way to map out my future. I say listen to your intuition and if you feel called to put pen to paper during your meditation time, than you can absolutely use journaling as an effective way to meditate too. If you have time for both journaling and meditation, I’ve found the combo is extremely powerful (I like to meditate first and than journal, but find out what works best for you!). Find my go-to prompts here.
Length: at least 5 minutes (I’ve found it takes a couple minutes to get in the flow)
When I use it: Sundays are my big journaling days for mapping out goals or using it for visualization. I also like to spend five minutes in the mornings to either do Future You journaling or mentally rehearse my day, experiencing it as my highest self. The last way I love to journal is using the Future You method, but about something specific. For example, right before a podcast interview I’m nervous about, I’ll journal about the interview, as if I am experiencing it in the present tense (I am my highest self, I’m speaking calmly and clearly, the conversation feels so easy and organic, and the guest is so comfortable, etc.).