Most people misunderstand what meditation actually is! 
A common myth is that meditation requires a completely blank mind. This is where most people give up on meditation. People sit down, close their eyes and realize they are thinking about food. They assume they are failing and decide meditation isn't for them. Here's the truth: having thoughts during meditation is completely normal. It's the whole idea. Meditation isn't about becoming thoughtless. Meditation is simply returning your awareness again and again. That noticing? That's the rep, not the quest for 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's the practice. Easy to understand, hard to master. There's a myth that meditation requires long sessions every day. No one really knows where this idea came from. Unfortunately, it discourages busy people from even starting. Short meditation sessions still work. Research suggests consistent short sessions can gradually improve stress response patterns. There's nothing like consistency, which outperforms duration every time. Daily consistency wins over rare, lengthy sessions every time. Start with something almost more info too easy. Two minutes. Set a timer. Done. Meditation is a religious practice. Meditation is a religious activity. Yes, meditation is a Buddhist, Hindu and other tradition. Yoga also has spiritual origins. Even everyday systems around us have cultural or religious roots. Meditation can be completely secular if you choose. Hospitals, athletes, and even the military use meditation techniques. As a card-carrying skeptic, you can still garner a lot of benefits from the program. If it means something to you tie it in to religion. Leave it alone if it doesn't. Both are right and both are wrong. A lot of beginners think meditation should immediately feel peaceful. Unfortunately, reality is usually messier than that. Certain days your mind races nonstop during meditation. That's completely normal. Other times, you may briefly experience a sense of calm or clarity. Both experiences are valid. Meditation works similarly to exercise: progress builds gradually over time. The benefits grow over time, not overnight. Don't treat it as a vending machine, treat it as compound interest. Sitting Cross-Legged Is Required: What person invented the image of the lotus-position saint? Art history, mostly. And it's not helped matters. Sit in a chair. If you're not able to sleep, lie down. Standing meditation works too. Meditation isn't limited to sitting still. Your posture should support awareness, not create pain. Your mind should be better, but your knees shouldn't suffer. People who meditate still experience frustration and stress. Even long-time meditators get annoyed in traffic sometimes. They still struggle sometimes. From time to time, they bite the hands of the one they love. Meditation simply helps you become more aware.