So many people want to meditate but they either dont know where to start or cant find the time. Fitting meditation into your life doesnt need to be complicated or elaborate. Start small and be realistic about what will work for you. Here are five tips to get you started.

Find a spot where you can sit comfortably with plenty of back support. Ideally you want to sit with a straight back when you meditate. This allows you to breathe deeply and lets your breath easily fill your lungs while you inhale and exhale. Since your meditation might last five to 15 minutes (or longer) you definitely want to be comfortable. There are no shoulds when it comes to where or how you sit. If sitting cross-legged on the floor isnt physically comfortable use a chair or sit on the couch. Just be comfortable.

Choose a space in your home where you can focus or block out any distractions. Most people dont live in complete quiet which means they wont meditate in complete quiet either. Thats okay. Ambient noise is to be expected whether its birds chirping, the sound of traffic or a television on in another room. As long as you can let the sounds around you fade into the background while you focus on your breath, youre good to go.

Sometimes a bit of ritual can help establish the habit or practice of meditation. This can be as simple as lighting a candle before you start meditating and blowing it out when youre done. Anything that signals to your body and mind that its time to meditate works. It can be anything from lighting incense to softly playing meditative musicwhatever works for you. Create a ritual action before and after you meditate to formally signal to yourself that its time to focus on your breath.

If youre just starting out use a guided meditation. You can find free ones online or in apps like Calm, Insight Timer or Buddhify. Pick a meditation ahead of time so that when youre ready to meditate the decision is already made.

It can be fun and motivating to know that people around the world are meditating with you. Many meditation apps show the location and number of people across the globe simultaneously meditating. There are also a lot of different meditation groups available to join via apps or meditation centers in your area.

Meditating for even five minutes can help you feel calmer and more focused. The most important thing you can do when it comes to meditation is to get started and stick with it.

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5 Things To Know Before You Try Meditation - HuffPost