Why Meditation Didn’t Work for Me (And How I Finally Made It Feel Simple and Supportive)
- Helen Pinnock
- Aug 20, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 22
If over the years you have had a vague interest in meditation but felt as though it's more suited to other people. You are are not alone in this feeling.
Many people I work with across Norwich and Norfolk have tried meditation before and felt like it didn’t quite stick.
Their mind felt too busy.
They couldn’t relax properly.
Or they assumed they were “doing it wrong.”
I understand that completely—because I felt exactly the same for years.
This is my story of how meditation became something real, supportive, and life-changing for me… and how it can support you too.
If you’re completely new to meditation, you may also find this helpful first: Meditation for beginners: how to start a daily practice (Homecoming guide)
My early relationship with meditation
I sat opposite my therapist, lets call him Ben ( thats not his name). I have worked with many different types of therapists and practitioners emotional and physical over the years with varying degrees of success.
Why? Because for years I have struggled with chronic pain but in 2021 I hit an all time low. We were coming to the end of the pandemic years my business had gone into liquidation and after scrambling to keep myself afloat and manage family through the pandemic I was burnt-out physically and emotionally.
We decided to move across the county to Norwich for a new start. Within a few months of coming to Norwich I was in so much pain in my neck and struggling to swallow that I was unable to leave my bedroom for twelve months.
This pain this was not chronic this was acute to the point of being unable to leave my bedroom for twelve months. I felt utterly broken and desperate.
However, Ben had a way of pealing back what was going on in my mind and body. He suggested that I start to meditatie. If I am honest at this point I couldn't see myself being able to do this.
But he and I both knew that I needed to learn to feel safer in my body again.
Why meditation didn’t work for me at first
I meditated in the past using apps and videos but never created a sustainable practice.
What I didn’t understand then was this:
Meditation wasn't about stopping my thoughts.
And it’s definitely wasn't about forcing my mind to be quiet.
I fell more than once into the belief that my mind was just too busy to meditate. However, the reality was that my mind and body were overwhelmed and my nervous system was constantly looking for the next threat.
If you often feel overwhelmed, mentally busy, or unable to switch off, you may relate to this: How to calm your nervous system at home (stress & overwhelm guide)
The turning point in my meditation practice
Despite this is persisted with the gentle guidance and encouragement
Nothing complicated. Nothing forced.
Just small moments of:
noticing the breath
allowing the body to settle
learning to pause without pressure or judgment.
I began to understand something important:
I can no more stop my thoughts than I can stop breathing.
But I could change my relationship with them.
I could begin to notice them… without reacting to every single one.
And that changes everything.
I began to notice how my system had been looking for threats for years and that with a small but consistent practice this was beginning to change.
What meditation actually started to do for me
It wasn’t instant.
And it wasn’t always easy.
Some days felt calm.
Some days felt restless.
Some days felt like nothing was happening at all.
But over time, something quietly changed.
Meditation began to help me:
feel less reactive under stress
feel more grounded in my body
soften emotional intensity
create space between me and my thoughts
I no longer identified with my pain in the same way.
Most importantly, it helped me feel more like myself again.
Not a different version of me.
Just a steadier one underneath the noise.
Why consistency matters more than “doing it right”
One of the biggest shifts for me was letting go of perfection.
Meditation isn’t something you master.
It’s something you return to.
Again and again.
Even a few minutes makes a difference when it’s done consistently.
This is exactly what I now support people with through my self-study Homecoming meditation course.
A gentle, structured way to:
build a daily practice
calm the nervous system
stop overthinking cycles
feel more grounded in yourself
Meditation and the nervous system
What I didn’t realise at the beginning was how physical meditation actually is.
It doesn’t just affect the mind.
It works directly with the nervous system.
Over time, meditation can help your body shift out of a constant state of alertness and into a more settled, rested state.
If you’re curious about this connection, you may also like: Why you can’t meditate (and what’s actually going on)
Meditation isn’t about becoming someone new
This is the most important thing I’ve learned.
Meditation is not about:
becoming calmer
becoming more “together”
fixing yourself
It’s about returning.
To a quieter place underneath everything.
A place that has always been there…but can get covered by stress, pressure, and constant doing.
This is what I now call Homecoming.
Not becoming someone else.But gently coming back to yourself.
Why I created Homecoming
Over time, I realised something important:
Most people don’t struggle with meditation because they “can’t do it.”
They struggle because:
they’ve never been guided in a simple, accessible way
they think they’re doing it wrong
they don’t have a structure that fits real life
So I created Homecoming to change that.
A self-study meditation course designed for beginners who:
feel overwhelmed
struggle with overthinking
want something simple and supportive
want to feel more grounded in themselves again
A note on the body (and when support feels deeper)
For some people, meditation alone is enough.
For others, the body holds a deeper layer of tension that makes it harder to settle.
This is where body-based support can help.
Some people find reflexology supportive in releasing physical tension and helping the body feel safe enough to relax.
Explore reflexology in Norwich herehttps://www.reflexology-norwich.co.uk
Final thoughts
Meditation didn’t change my life because I did it perfectly.
It changed my life because I kept coming back to it.
Slowly. Gently. Without pressure.
And over time, it became less about “doing meditation”and more about returning to myself.
If you’re at the beginning of your own journey, you don’t need to get it right.
You just need to begin.
And if you’d like support along the way, Homecoming is there to guide you—step by step, in a way that feels simple, human, and real.
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