Train your mind. Each day when you meditate, you will be training your mind to pay attention in an accepting way. "Start with your body and breath as an anchor in the moment," says Dr. Shapiro. "When the mind wanders off, we gently note where it went and come back to (awareness of) breath and body." Many people are surprised at how hard it is to pay attention. When you're not paying attention, you don't even feel your breath. "It's called 'monkey mind.' Your mind swings from one thought to another, like a monkey in trees," she adds.

"What you're trying to do is cultivate the ability to pay attention," says Dr. Shapiro. "You know when you're mindful and when you're on automatic pilot. There's a qualitative difference."

Extend your mindful actions. Mindfulness practice can't succeed if you compartmentalize it into one 5- or 20-minute session. Once you become comfortable with the practice, bring mindfulness into your daily life. Take time to appreciate the experience of simple actions, such as washing dishes, eating a meal or taking a walk. The more skilled you become at mindfulness meditation, the more seamless the transition becomes between your "official" mindfulness meditation and everyday experiences.

Find a teacher. It helps to have guidance, as you would in a yoga or spinning class. One good measure is to look for a teacher trained in the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. Hospitals with integrative medicine departments are also good resources for meditation programs and instructors.