Think You Suck at Mindfulness? Read This

May 22

You don’t need to silence your brain or sit cross-legged to be present. Here’s a softer, more human approach to mindfulness.

A little while ago, someone told me:
*"I think I just suck at meditating. My mind constantly wanders, I think about my grocery list, I’m just no good at this."*

**Honestly? I wanted to hug them.**
Because... **same**.

Despite being a therapist who talks about mindfulness often, I’ve had a very human relationship with it myself. I’ve tried everything from calm-voiced meditation apps to silent retreats where I stared at trees and thought about snacks (not that you’re surprised). And still, there were so many moments when I found myself wondering:

Is it working yet? I don’t think I’m doing this right. Wait—is it wrong that I’m thinking about how I might be doing it wrong? Ugh!

So if you've ever felt that way, here’s the truth:

You're not doing it wrong. You're just doing it like a person.
Mindfulness isn't a test. It's not about emptying your mind or getting a gold star for stillness.
It’s about paying attention with kindness.
Even if it’s just for a second.
Even if you forget and start over again a thousand times.

What mindfulness actually is (not what Instagram says)

Now let’s get clear about one thing - mindfulness doesn’t look just one way, even if social media makes you think it’s all incense and cushions and low octave “Omm”s.

Mindfulness is not:

Having a totally blank mind while sitting on a sun-drenched deck
Reaching a state of pure bliss while sipping matcha in linen pants
Becoming a superior human who never checks their phone at stoplights, gets overwhelmed, or cusses at politicians on TV

Mindfulness is simply returning to what’s happening right now.

It’s noticing with curiosity.
It’s allowing with compassion.
It’s the practice of presence. (And it’s most certainly not a performance.)

You don’t need silence or incense. You don’t even need a meditation cushion.
You just need a moment and your breath.

And if your mind wanders? That’s not failure. That’s proof you’re alive. As I’ve heard many people in the mindfulness world say “The practice is the return” - as in, half of mindfulness is just coming back to presence and your breath when your mind wanders.

Why mindfulness feels hard (especially if you're wired to “get things done”)

If mindfulness feels hard, there’s nothing wrong with you. In fact, it makes a lot of sense, especially if you’re a high achiever, always planning ahead, or constantly holding a dozen tabs open in your mental browser.

Here are a few reasons it might feel especially challenging:

You’ve been trained to multitask and stay in motion
Your brain is built for doing. Mindfulness, which invites you to simply be, can feel uncomfortable or even unproductive.
Stillness doesn’t feel safe yet
For those who’ve lived through trauma or grown up in environments where being present meant being vulnerable, mindfulness might actually trigger anxiety. If that’s true for you, your nervous system isn’t resisting mindfulness. It’s protecting you. In that case, give yourself permission to start with what makes you feel safe (even if it means letting go of mindfulness for now.)
You’re hard on yourself
Many high-functioning people are perfectionists at heart. And perfectionism and mindfulness don’t mix well. Because mindfulness isn’t about doing it right. It’s about showing up at all.
You’ve tried it before and it felt frustrating
Maybe guided meditations made you feel more irritated than calm. Maybe you couldn’t focus, or the quiet made your thoughts louder. That doesn’t mean you failed. It just means the form didn’t fit. You can try again in a different way.

Try these mindfulness shifts instead

If the traditional approach hasn’t worked for you, try this: let go of what you think mindfulness is supposed to look like. Start with what actually feels possible.

Here are a few gentle, human ways to practice presence (minus the performance)l:

1. Name what’s hard without making it wrong

Say it out loud or write it down:

“It’s hard to sit still.”
“My brain feels loud today.”
“I get uncomfortable when I try to slow down.”

That honesty matters. Mindfulness doesn’t require you to pretend. It invites you to meet yourself as you are.

2. Choose one sense and follow it for 30 seconds

Pick one of your five senses—sight, sound, touch, smell, or taste—and focus on it briefly. That’s all.

Feel the warmth of your tea mug
Listen to the sound of your breath
Notice the scent of your shampoo as you wash your hair

This may feel small to you - but it isn’t. You don’t need to commit an hour. Just show up for one moment.

3. Practice micro-pauses throughout your day

Presence doesn’t need to be long or dramatic. Try pausing for just five seconds before:

Checking your email
Picking up your phone
Walking into a meeting
Starting a new task

Take one slow, deep breath. Ask, “How am I right now?” Then move forward.

4. Let movement be your mindfulness

You don’t have to be still to be mindful. If stillness feels too intense, let your body lead the way.

Go for a walk without your phone
Stretch while noticing the way your body moves
Fold laundry slowly, letting your mind stay with the task

Mindfulness doesn’t mean freezing. It means tuning in.

5. Redefine what counts

Every moment of noticing counts. Every time you return to the present (even for three seconds) it matters.

A few conscious breaths at a stoplight? That counts.
Catching yourself mid-scroll and choosing to pause? That counts.
Forgetting completely, then remembering later? That still counts.

You’re not trying to reach a perfect state. You’re practicing the art of coming back.

What if mindfulness is a way back to yourself?

You don’t have to change your personality to be mindful.
You don’t have to silence your thoughts or clear your mind.
You just have to come back to where you are, gently and often.

Mindfulness can look like:

Choosing to sit outside in the sun for five minutes on your lunch break
Not scrolling, not planning. Just feeling the breeze or watching the sky.
Brushing your teeth while actually feeling the motion
Paying attention to the texture, the scent, the rhythm.
Placing your hand on your chest when you’re overwhelmed
Offering yourself one deep breath and a moment of care.
Listening to a single song without doing anything else
Letting the lyrics, the sound, the feeling move through you.
Taking three breaths before moving from one task to the next
Letting your body catch up to your brain.
Noticing your feet on the floor while waiting in line
Feeling grounded without needing to fix anything.
Looking out the window and watching the light change
Giving yourself a moment to be in the world instead of in your head.

So my friend, NOPE, you are not “bad” at mindfulness.
You might just need a version that meets you in your real life…so let it be gentle, and let it feel like you.

PS: I made you a short voice note

If this resonated with you and you want something simple to come back to when you're in that "I suck at mindfulness" space, I recorded a quick 5-minute voice note just for you. You can listen to it on Substack. No pressure, no rigid instructions to follow, just a soft place to land.

I’ll be sharing more voice notes like this in the future (since a few of you have told me how much you like them), so if you want to keep getting them, make sure you’re subscribed over here. I’ll be moving most of my writing and updates to Substack soon, and I’d love to stay connected with you.

Therese Mascardo