Stop assuming you already understand meditation! 
A common myth is that meditation requires a completely blank mind. This is where most people give up on meditation. Most beginners notice their thoughts immediately after they start meditating. Then, they say to themselves: "I'm not good at this." Then they quit. The problem is, a busy mind in meditation is not a problem. That's actually part of the practice. Meditation isn't about becoming thoughtless. It's all about realizing that you've gone off track and bringing yourself back. That noticing? That's the rep, not the quest for silence. A monk once explained it perfectly: "Every time your attention drifts, gently return it again." That's the entire point. Easy to understand, hard to master. Many people believe meditation only works if you practice for 30 minutes daily. So, who gave this rule? Nobody knows. For people with jobs and responsibilities, it makes meditation feel impossible. Five minutes is enough. Even three minutes can help. Studies show the brain adapts over time through regular mindfulness practice. Consistency matters far more than session length. Someone meditating 5 minutes daily will usually outperform someone doing one long session occasionally. Start with something almost too easy. Try just two minutes a day. Some people believe meditation is purely religious. Meditation is a religious activity. Yes, meditation is a Buddhist, Hindu and other tradition. Yoga also has spiritual origins. Many ordinary things we use daily have historical religious origins. Secular meditation, such as mindful stress reduction, breath awareness, body scan, is not about spirituality unless you want it to be. Hospitals use it. It is used by the military. It is used by Olympic athletes. As a card-carrying skeptic, you can still garner a lot of benefits from the program. themindfulcounselor Use spirituality if it helps you, or ignore it if it doesn't. Neither approach is universally correct. Many people expect instant calm from meditation. That expectation causes a lot of disappointment. Some meditation sessions feel boring and mentally chaotic. That experience is part of the process. Occasionally, meditation creates moments that are hard to describe but deeply calming. That is normal too. Like fitness training, meditation rarely produces instant transformation. Inner calm develops slowly through consistent practice. Don't treat it as a vending machine, treat it as compound interest. You Don't Need To Sit Cross-Legged: What person invented the image of the lotus-position saint? Art history, mostly. And it's not helped matters. You can meditate in a chair. Lying down is also acceptable. Stand. Walk. 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. Your mind should be better, but your knees shouldn't suffer. Meditators are not perfectly calm all the time. Spend enough time around experienced meditators and you'll still see ordinary human reactions. They have bad days. From time to time, they bite the hands of the one they love. Meditation doesn't make you superhuman.