Why I Love Meditating | Finding Presence & Peace

How long should you meditate? There's no single right answer, and one person's routine can change a lot over time. In this short video, ThisWayUp founder Cat Miller shares her own experience: how she started with 20 minutes twice a day, how her routine changed over time and the three practices she leans on together.

Key takeaways

• Cat started meditating about two years ago, and in her words, "I adore it."
• She began with transcendental meditation, "20 minutes a day twice a day," which she calls "a huge slug of your time."
• Even so, it "really made a difference in my ability to be present and to relax and to not have stress build up quite as much."
• These days she usually meditates once a day, alongside regular gratitude and intention.

What Cat Miller says

This isn't a how-to lesson. It is Cat speaking from her own life. She started with a demanding routine, two 20-minute sessions a day, and found the payoff worth it: she felt more present, more relaxed and less weighed down by built-up stress.

She is also honest that her practice isn't perfect. "I don't always do it twice a day. I'm more frequently once a day." What has stuck is the combination: "practicing meditation, gratitude and intention on a pretty regular basis." As she puts it, "I strongly believe that it's been helpful."

What does the research say about meditation?

The research is encouraging, with some honest limits. A 2014 review of 47 randomized trials with 3,515 participants found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation programs improved anxiety and depression, and concluded that meditation programs can lead to small to moderate reductions in psychological stress (Goyal et al., JAMA Internal Medicine). The same review found meditation was not better than other active treatments such as medication, exercise or therapy, so it works best as one tool among several.

Meditation is a support, not a replacement for care. If stress or anxiety is getting in the way of daily life, talk with a doctor or therapist.

How long and how often should you meditate?

There is no single right schedule or length. Cat's own routine shifted from twice a day to mostly once a day, and she kept going. That consistency matters more than getting it perfect. If 20 minutes feels like too much, start with five or ten at the same time each day, then adjust. For more on building the habit, read why meditation matters for your daily mental well-being, and if you want to add gratitude the way Cat does, see why gratitude is the secret to a happier brain.

Video transcript

Transcript (lightly edited for reading):

I started maybe two years ago meditating, and I adore it. When I started, I was doing transcendental meditation, which is 20 minutes a day twice a day, which is a huge slug of your time. But it really made a difference in my ability to be present and to relax and to not have stress build up quite as much. So I continue to meditate. I don't always do it twice a day. I'm more frequently once a day. But I would say the combination of practicing meditation, gratitude and intention on a pretty regular basis, I strongly believe that it's been helpful.

Common questions

Can a 5-minute meditation calm your mind?

It can help. Short sessions are a realistic way to start, and many people find that a few minutes of focusing on the breath leaves them feeling more settled. What matters most is doing it regularly.

What is transcendental meditation?

It is a mantra-based form of meditation, usually practiced for 20 minutes twice a day, which is the routine Cat started with. It is one of many styles. Mindfulness meditation, which focuses on the breath and the present moment, is another common choice.

Why pair meditation with gratitude and intention?

Each one points your attention somewhere helpful: meditation to the present, gratitude to what is going well, and intention to what matters to you today. Cat credits the combination, not meditation alone, with helping her.

About the expert: Cat Miller is the founder of ThisWayUp and a former investment banker with a Harvard MBA.

Related: From Illbeing to Wellbeing: Mindfulness, Gratitude & Growth