The Moment I Stopped Running: How Meditation Quieted the Chaos

Written By: Yhicey Nicole Hawt

I used to believe that staying busy meant I was doing something right. Like many of us, I was constantly in motion—chasing goals, showing up for people, answering emails at red lights, and trying to smile through it all. But underneath the productivity and perfectly curated schedule was a storm I couldn’t quiet.

It all came to a halt on a random Thursday.

I had just missed my nephew’s school play—again. My mind had been so tangled in to-do lists and text threads that I forgot. I sat in my car afterward, gripped by guilt and shame, and I cried. Not the dramatic kind—the silent kind. The kind where your body finally admits it’s tired of holding it all together. And then I remembered something my grandmother used to say:

“Stillness isn’t silence—it’s listening to the part of you that’s always been there.”

I didn’t know exactly what she meant until that moment. But in my car, with nothing left to give, I closed my eyes and just breathed. Five minutes. No app. No timer. Just… breath. For the first time in weeks, maybe months, I felt peace. That small act of stillness became my lifeline. It didn’t fix everything overnight, but it gave me back to myself. It was the reset I didn’t know I needed.

Why Meditation Matters

Meditation isn’t about escaping life—it’s about showing up more fully in it. It helps you build a quiet inner world you can return to, no matter how loud the outside gets. Studies have shown that meditation reduces stress, improves memory, sharpens focus, and increases compassion. But beyond the science, it just feels like coming home. And the best part? You don’t need a fancy setup, a retreat, or hours of your time. You just need a moment. And a willingness to sit with yourself.

5 Easy Ways (and Places) to Meditate When Life Feels Too Full

1. In the Shower

Turn your shower into a mindfulness sanctuary. Let the water ground you. Focus on how it feels hitting your skin, the sound of it splashing, the warmth. Breathe deeply, and imagine the stress sliding down the drain.

2. Car Meditation Moments

Arrive 5–10 minutes early to an appointment? Stay in your parked car. Turn everything off. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Even just 3–5 minutes can transform your mood.

3. Bedtime Body Scan

Before you scroll or sleep, take a moment in the dark to check in with your body. Start at your toes and work your way up, noticing any tension or sensation. No need to change anything—just observe and release.

4. Nature Walk Mindfulness

Skip the music. Take a walk and fully tune in—listen to the birds, feel the breeze, notice the texture of leaves or pavement. Walking becomes meditative when you’re present in it.

5. One-Minute Desk Reset

Feeling overwhelmed during your workday? Stop and breathe. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and pause for 4. Repeat 3–4 times. This is called Box Breathing, and it’s used by everyone from athletes to the military for calming the nervous system.

You Don’t Need to Be an Expert—You Just Need to Begin

If you’re always running, maybe it’s time to pause. Not forever—just long enough to remember who you are beneath the noise. Meditation doesn’t have to be a production. It can be a minute, a breath, a moment of presence.

It changed everything for me—and it can for you too.

Let me know in the comments: Have you tried meditation? What’s your favorite way to reconnect when life gets loud?