What meditation taught me
22 June 2026
Von Stefanie Garber
One of my teachers once said that when there is havoc on the outside, people tend to start their journey inwards. That’s also true for my journey. A decade ago, I found myself in an extremely stressful job, toxic relationships, and no knowledge about what self-care actually means.
I moved to the city for my first full-time job when I was only 19 years old, completely alone, rented my first apartment, and embarked on a journey that would alter my life entirely. Life in the city was so different than in my hometown. Coming from a small village with only a few hundred residents, where basically everyone knows each other, to a city of two million was as exciting as it was terrifying. Always hungry for change, diversity, culture and new experiences, the city definitely delivered. I met many dear friends and inspiring people along the way. My job also gave me a lot in the beginning, such as the freedom that comes with earning an income and learning how to assert myself.
But when life got rough and I lost myself in the hustle and bustle, I learned the hard way that over-giving without pouring back into myself would cost me a lot. The weight of burnout, restlessness, and insomnia finally led me to journaling.
Always wondering about who I really am and what I want, I discovered meditation one day. Thinking back to the version of myself I was back then makes me smile. My first few attempts at meditation were the opposite of what I expected them to be. I could barely sit for 5 minutes, my thoughts were racing, and my body could not deal with sitting still. At the same time, it was so intriguing that I was drawn back to the practice again and again. Today, after so many years of meditating regularly, I am incredibly thankful for this journey back to myself and everything it has taught me. Here are my top three learnings:
1. Enjoying my own company and treating myself kindly
Being there for other people, being kind and empathetic, and spreading optimism come naturally to me. However, when it came to myself, that wasn’t always the case. I used to be my own greatest critic. I had extremely high expectations of myself, and I was impatient when I could not live up to them.
Once I introduced meditation and mindfulness into my life, my self-awareness gradually grew stronger, and with that, a lot of shifts began to happen. I started to take care of myself consciously: I implemented routines and rituals, began to fuel my body with healthy, organic foods, and deliberately took breaks throughout the day to check in with myself. I slowly gave up unhealthy habits like smoking and became more aware of the way I talk to myself. I try to embrace my imperfections with compassion, and when I indulge my sweet tooth, I don’t judge myself anymore.
2. The importance of my environment
When I first started to think about my environment, I was obsessed with my living situation. I spent years wondering whether the city or the countryside was the right place for me to live. Until it finally dawned on me what a huge impact my job and the people in my environment actually had on me and my energy.
Repetitive work literally drained the life out of me. And when it came to people, I had to learn that not everyone was happy with my new sense of self. For quite some time, this led me to question and explain myself a lot. Only when I found a home within myself was I able to drop that urge to be seen and understood. By doing so, I created more space for the right people. And what a difference that makes. It has made me perceive the meaning and importance of environment in a whole new light.
3. Trusting my inner voice
My mind used to be so loud. Being present was foreign to me. My thoughts were constantly in the past or the future, obsessed with ideas, dreams, or worries of some kind.
It was only when I learned to sit with myself that my thoughts became quieter and my inner voice started to grow louder. Since I was used to ignoring my inner wisdom or waiting until reality proved it right, it took a while for me to really start listening. But like any other habit, it can be trained too. Repeatedly listening to that voice and keeping the promises I made to myself has nurtured that deep sense of trust.
Meditation and mindfulness have helped me so much on my personal journey. Once you’re on that path, you understand that it really is a lifelong journey, an ever-unfolding process. It is not about reaching a goal, but discovering more and more along the way, and that I think is endlessly beautiful. I’ve already learned so much about myself and my environment, and I know for sure there is so much more left to be discovered.
