I got a pretty amazing notification from my phone today: 11,992 minutes. That’s how many minutes I’ve meditated this year.

Honestly, I had to do a double-take. My usual meditation sessions range from 5-10 minutes, so that number seemed high. Curious, I did the math.  71 minutes per day.

Wait, what? Between the four boys, work and my community involvement, where was I finding that kind of time?

But that’s when it hit me. I can finally say I have a daily meditation practice. Not something I squeeze in every now and then, but a consistent, daily rhythm that has taken root.

How It All Began

I first turned to meditation years ago during a short stint with anxiety. I had no history with mental health challenges and no idea where to start. My dad didn’t either, but in true dad fashion, he ran over to our local bookstore and then handed me a book, The Relaxation Response by Dr. Herbert Benson. That little red book was my first window into the science behind stress and the powerful role of daily solitude.

But once the anxiety passed, so did the habit. The red book went back on the shelf, and life moved on.

Fast Forward 25 Years…

Four kids later, including one with ASD and with significant behavioral challenges early on… I found myself circling back to meditation. This time with more need and less time. In the chaos of parenting and career-building, the practice was hit or miss.

And then came COVID.

What began as a five-minute breather became a morning ritual. Amid pandemic homeschooling, family losses and negative headlines, those few minutes of solitude became my anchor. Meditation wasn’t just something I did: it was something I relied on to show up as the parent, partner, and professional I wanted to be.

71 Minutes a Day? Here’s the Truth

I don’t have hour-long Zen sessions. I’m not boarding planes to Bali.

I’ve simply learned to sprinkle small, intentional pauses into my day. Before bed. After a meeting. While waiting in the car. Before a workout. And yes, sometimes it’s just five minutes of silence before the house wakes up.

Those micro-practices add up. That’s how I got to 11992 minutes.

One quote that always sticks with me is this one by author Sahil Bloom:
“You’ll achieve much more by being consistently reliable than by being occasionally extraordinary.”

It’s so true. You don’t need perfection, or anything extraordinary. But it’s those small, steady steps that add up to something powerful.

Start Where You Are

If you’re curious about meditation but feel like you “don’t have time”, I get it. Start with three minutes of breathing in the morning. That’s it. Or try my “Peaceful Pause” guided meditation.

Just a few quiet minutes before your phone turns on, before emails flood in, before anyone needs you. That’s enough to begin. You might look back one day and realize that all those quiet minutes were the small bricks that have become the foundation of a grounded, fulfilling life.