Sitting Still Might Actually Save Your Sanity
Let me tell you a quick story. A client of mine recently said to me in a session,
"I can’t meditate, Stuart. My brain’s too loud."
I asked if I could share how she described her thoughts - “to loud” because perfectly described how my intrusive thought can feel.
She wasn’t doing great, low energy & felt trapped in the kind of mental loop that makes you feel like your own head isn’t a safe place to be.
So we sat together. Just five minutes. Nothing fancy. No big expectations. We didn’t try to cure or heal anything and we didn’t try to stop the thoughts. We just sat. With breath. With sensation. With whatever showed up.
Afterwards, she said;
"That was the first time all week I didn’t feel like I was losing the plot." It was said with jest to make light of what had undoubtedly been a tough week, but I felt there was real truth in there too.
That’s the thing about meditation. It’s not magic - but it is medicine. Sometimes, all you need is that little bit of space - and that space -it can save you.
What the Science Says (Spoiler: It Works!)
Turns out, science is finally catching up with what yogis have known for centuries:
Stillness helps. A lot.
Depression: A 2025 study in The Lancet Psychiatry found that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) significantly reduced depressive symptoms, especially in people who felt like nothing else worked.
It works for all ages: A 2024 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports showed benefits for everyone — students to seniors.
Anxiety and stress: A 2010 review in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that Mindfulness-Based Interventions reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.
Even on your phone: A 2023 review in the Journal of Medical Internet Research showed that mindfulness apps helped reduce stress and boost well-being in students.
You don’t need a cave in the Himalayas - just 10 minutes and a bit of intention.
“But I’m Rubbish at Meditating…”
Yeah, me too! And that’s fine. No one’s “good” at meditating -that’s not the point. You don’t meditate to get good at meditation. You meditate to get better at life.
Here’s the practice:
Sit.
Breathe.
Notice thoughts.
Drift.
Come back.
Repeat.
That act of coming back — over and over — is the whole thing. It builds awareness. And awareness builds freedom.
Just Start Small
Start here:
Sit in a chair.
Close your eyes.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Do this for 3 minutes.
That’s it. Really. Light a candle. Open a window. Use an app if you want. But mostly — just be with yourself, and if your brain screams the entire time? That’s okay. You’re still doing it.
Want some help getting started?
I’ve recorded simple guided meditation— no fluff, just a quiet return to you.
Final Thoughts
Meditation won’t fix your life. But it will help you see your life more clearly. And in that clarity — you might just find your next right step. You don’t have to clear your mind. You just have to stop abandoning yourself.
Start small. Sit down. And meet yourself, as you are.
Speak soon,
Stuart