5 Simple Ways to Start Your Mindful Journey (Without Changing Your Whole Life)

Starting something new can feel so overwhelming. And if you’re anything like me, you love learning… but hate that awkward stage of feeling like a total beginner. Especially when you're seeing people online doing the thing you want to do and they’re already amazing at it. It’s easy to think, “I want to be there, but I’m still here—how do I even get from A to B?” But here’s the thing: everyone starts somewhere. Nobody skips the beginning. And chances are, you’re not even starting from scratch—you’re probably already doing more than you think. It’s not about becoming someone else, it’s just about building more awareness into the things you already do.

You don’t need a total life overhaul to live a more mindful life. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, right?

So here are five super gentle ways to get started—no guru status required.

1. Just Breathe (literally, that's it)

Breath is one of the most grounding tools we have, and we carry it with us everywhere. The wildest part? We do it all day long without even noticing. But the moment you consciously take a breath—you're already doing the work. Yay. There’s no fancy technique or timer needed. Just pause, notice your inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders (which it will), place your hands on your belly or chest, and feel the rise and fall. Let your breath remind you that you’re here, now, present and alive.

2. Messy journal dump

Journalling doesn’t have to look like an aesthetic Pinterest-perfect vibe (though I do love a fancy pen and a nice notebook). Just grab whatever’s nearby and let it out. Scribble your to-do list, your spiralling thoughts, your doodles. It’s not about being deep or profound—it’s about getting it out of your head and onto the page. Stream-of-consciousness writing, brain dumps, once you see all the mess out on the page, it can help to work through it better, rather than just a knot of tangled thoughts.

3. Get outside and notice

Nature is medicine. Step outside and notice the world around you. Breathe in the air. Put your hand on a tree. Look up at the sky. Feel the breeze on your face. Count the weeds pushing up through the pavement. Watch how the puddles hold the reflection of the clouds. Let the world pull you out of your head and into the moment. You don't need a hike or a forest—just start where you are.

4. Do a body check-in (like a UFO light beam scan)

This one’s one of my favourites, and I share it with clients all the time. The easist way I explain it is a weird one (stay with me). Ever seen an old animation of a UFO abucting a cow? Imagine a beam of light from a UFO is slowly moving down from the top of your head to your toes—like a little alien scanning system . As the light moves, check in with each part of your body:

• Are you frowning? Is your jaw clenched?

• Is your throat dry - are you thirsty?

• Are your shoulders tense? Let them drop.

• How does your chest feel? Stretch your lugs with a deep breath

• Can you feel your breath move through your belly?

• Are your shoes wrapped around your ankle, or flip flops between your toes. Do you need to loosen your laces? Take off your heels?

  
  

Your body whispers to you constantly—we’ve just forgotten how to listen. This is how we start to tune back in.

5. Invite stillness into what you already do

Mindfulness isn’t always about adding new things. It’s often about removing the noise. Next time you're making a cuppa, try doing it without scrolling your phone. Just let the kettle boil! Sit in silence in the car instead of putting the radio on. Close your eyes while you sip your tea. The still moments already exist—you just need to meet them. Stillness doesn’t have to be a big spiritual ritual. Sometimes it’s just giving yourself permission to be.

Final Thoughts

If this all feels like a lot, take a breath. This journey doesn’t have to be perfect, aesthetic, or impressive—it just needs to feel real to you. Start where you are, use what you have, and be curious. Bringing yourself into the present can be difficult if we're so use to living ahead or in the past, but start small, you're already here, just bring your mind here too,

You’ve already taken the first step just by reading this ♡

Want to go deeper with these kinds of practices? Head to The Alchemist’s Archives for more gentle guidance, personal reflections, and behind-the-scenes from my own journey. Or come say hi over on Instagram—I love hearing how you’re finding ways to weave this work into your day.

I’ve put together a free, simple checklist you can download as a gentle reminder of the small ways you can bring mindfulness into your everyday life. You can print it out and pop it somewhere you’ll see it, or just save it to your notes app and check things off as you go. No pressure, no perfection—just a quiet invitation to come back to yourself.

✨ Download the free checklist here✨

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