As the founder of woom USA, I led the company from a garage startup into one of North America’s fastest-growing kids’ bike brands. The pressure was relentless. Those years were filled with stress, sleepless nights, and a nonstop pace that eventually caught up with me.

That search for better sleep led me somewhere unexpected: meditation.

I wrote more about those years in Bootstrapping from $0 to $20MM: What It Really Took to Build woom USA. What I didn’t share in detail there was how stress management—and ultimately meditation—became a turning point for me.

I’ve also written about my overall approach to health in my Wellness Guide for Men in Their 40s & 50s. But in this piece, I want to dive deeper into meditation and another practice that’s been helpful at key moments: journaling.

Because if you’re a founder, executive, or simply someone under constant pressure—you need tools that help you regulate, reflect, and reset.

My Path Into Meditation (and Journaling Along the Way)

Like many leaders, I thought the solution to stress was more effort, more control, more productivity hacks. But I started noticing a pattern.

Every coach I worked with, every program I joined, every training on emotional intelligence and leadership—meditation and journaling were always in the mix.

I eventually gave both a try. Meditation became my anchor. Journaling became my tool when I needed clarity or release.

I don’t journal every day, but when I feel overwhelmed, stuck, or weighed down by too many thoughts, writing clears the fog. Meditation is my daily practice. Journaling is my as-needed reset button.

The results surprised me:

• Better focus and decision-making during high-pressure days
• Fewer emotional spirals when stress hit
• Improved sleep and recovery after years of exhaustion
• Clarity through writing when I couldn’t sort things out in my head

That’s also why I’ve started recording my own guided meditations—to share with clients who are dealing with the same overwhelm, burnout, or lack of clarity I once experienced. Sometimes hearing a voice that understands the entrepreneurial journey makes it easier to drop in.

5 Misconceptions About Meditation

If you’re a high-performer, you’ve probably told yourself at least one of these:

• “I don’t have time.” You only need 3–5 minutes. That’s one email or less than your average scroll.
• “I can’t stop thinking.” Perfect. You’re not supposed to. Meditation is noticing, not stopping thoughts.
• “I’m doing it wrong.” There’s no wrong way. If your mind wandered and you noticed—that’s meditation.
• “I’m not spiritual.” Meditation isn’t religion. It’s mental fitness—used by Navy SEALs, Olympians, and CEOs.
• “It won’t work for me.” Try it for one week. Let your nervous system feel the difference. Then decide.

2 Meditations That Actually Work

Some of the world’s most successful leaders rely on meditation. Steve Jobs credited it for sharpening intuition. Ray Dalio has called it “the single most important reason” for his success. Marc Benioff, Oprah Winfrey, Arianna Huffington—the list goes on.

But you don’t need hours of practice or a retreat in the Himalayas. You just need two core techniques:

1. Relaxation Meditation (Stress Reset)

• Use when: You’re tense, wired, or can’t sleep.
• What it is: A guided or breath-based session to calm your nervous system.
• Benefits: Lowers stress hormones, improves sleep, eases tension.
• How to try: 3–5 minutes before bed.

This was my own starting point. A short session at night helped me sleep deeper and wake up more recovered.

2. Letting Go Meditation (Emotional Release)

• Use when: You’re carrying frustration, resentment, or burnout.
• What it is: A practice of acknowledging stuck emotions and releasing them through breath, mantra, or visualization.
• Benefits: Emotional lightness, clarity, faster recovery from stress.
• How to try: After conflict, long days, or overwhelming moments.

Letting go doesn’t mean ignoring emotions. It means processing them so they don’t control you.

Journaling as a Companion to Meditation

Meditation resets your state. Journaling, when you use it, gives your mind a way to work with that reset.

Some days, a few minutes of stillness is enough. Other days, writing helps make sense of what surfaced. I don’t force myself to journal daily, but when I do, I often discover patterns, clarity, or release that would otherwise stay buried.

If you want to try it:

• Meditate first, then write for just 2–3 minutes.
• Capture whatever comes up—intentions, gratitude, or simply the thoughts looping in your head.
• Don’t overthink. Treat it like a brain dump.

Other Practices Worth Exploring

Once you build consistency, you might want to branch out. Each of these serves a different purpose:

• Mindfulness Meditation – Builds presence and focus
• Gratitude Meditation – Cultivates appreciation and positivity
• Mantra Meditation – Uses repetition to center the mind
• Breathwork (Pranayama) – Regulates energy and stress
• Healing Visualization – Supports physical and emotional recovery
• Mala Bead Meditation – Brings tactile focus to intention

You don’t need them all at once. Pick one. Stick with it. Add variety later.

Tools to Make It Easier

If you want structure, apps can help. My favorite right now is Aura. It offers:

• High-quality guided meditations
• Personalized recommendations
• Progress tracking
• A simple, clean interface

Other solid options: Headspace, Waking Up, Insight Timer, Ten Percent Happier.

Free options exist on YouTube and Spotify, but in my experience, paying creates accountability.

How to Start (Even If You’re Busy)

Here’s a ramp-up plan I recommend:

1. Pick one style—Relaxation or Letting Go
2. Download Aura (or any app you like)
3. Start with 3–5 minutes at night
4. Add a short morning meditation after a few days
5. Use a 1-minute midday reset to break stress cycles
6. Stick with one style for at least 5 days before switching
7. Journal only when it feels helpful—don’t force it
8. Find an accountability buddy—text each other when you meditate

Pro tip: Repetition creates results. Don’t chase variety. Commit to depth.

Final Word: Return, Don’t Escape

Meditation doesn’t require you to withdraw from life. It brings you back to yourself—so you can face life with clarity, presence, and strength.

Pair it with journaling when needed, and you’ll discover not just more calm, but more clarity and direction.

You don’t have to wait for burnout. You don’t have to hit rock bottom. You can begin today.

One breath. One word on a page. Then another. That’s the path.

I’m still learning, too. Some weeks I experiment with new practices. Other weeks I return to basics. What matters is not perfection—it’s consistency.

So if you’ve been thinking about starting, let this be your nudge. Five minutes of quiet—and, when you need it, a few lines in a journal—is enough.

Your breath is always available. Your pen is there when you need it.

Start tonight. See how you feel in a week.

You might be surprised at what shifts.

You’ve got this.