Stop assuming you already understand meditation! 
A common myth is that meditation requires a completely blank mind. This one breaks the most meditation practices. People sit down, close their eyes and realize they are thinking about food. Then, they say to themselves: "I'm not good at this." Then they quit. A wandering mind is not a meditation failure. It's the whole idea. The goal is not permanent mental silence. Meditation is simply returning your awareness again and again. Awareness itself is the training, not achieving silence. Once I heard a monk say to a person I know: "A thousand times you think, a thousand times you forget. Bring it back 10,000 times." That is meditation. Simple. Not easy. Many people believe meditation only works if you practice for 30 minutes daily. But who actually made that rule? But it is what it is, it turns off almost everyone who has a job and responsibilities to do. Five minutes is enough. Even three minutes can help. Studies show the brain adapts over time through regular mindfulness practice. Regular practice beats occasional marathon sessions. If one person sits for 5 minutes per day they will catch up with the person who sits for 45 minutes twice in a month — that's right, and that's no contest. Start with something almost too easy. Try just two minutes a day. Some people believe meditation is purely religious. Meditation is a religious activity. Meditation does have roots in Buddhist, Hindu, and other traditions. The same is true for yoga. Similarly, the calendar you use for meeting scheduling. Modern mindfulness practices don't require religious belief. Hospitals, athletes, and even the military use meditation techniques. You don't need spiritual beliefs to gain value from mindfulness. You can connect meditation to spirituality if that feels meaningful to you. Neither approach is universally correct. You should feel at ease right away. Oh, this expectation. This sweet and utterly unattainable dream. Some meditation sessions feel boring and mentally chaotic. That's normal. Other times, you may briefly experience a next page sense of calm or clarity. That is normal too. The same goes for results from a session, as there are no guarantees, just as there are no guarantees for results from a workout. Inner calm develops slowly through consistent practice. Meditation is a long-term investment, not a quick fix. Sitting Cross-Legged Is Required: The stereotype of perfect lotus-position meditation confuses many beginners. Art history, mostly. And honestly, it discourages people. You can meditate in a chair. You can even lie down if needed. Standing meditation works too. The seated meditation is not the only one, there's a tradition of walking meditation that's just as valid. The key is staying aware and comfortable. Mental clarity matters more than uncomfortable poses. Those who meditate are super zen all the time. Spend enough time around experienced meditators and you'll still see ordinary human reactions. They still struggle sometimes. They're still imperfect human beings. The goal isn't perfection, it's awareness.