By all means, meditation is freaking hard, it's work. It's not easy but it's not impossible. It also gets easier the more you do it. It's an investment on the very best asset in your life: you. When people ask me for tips on meditation first of all, I say: "just start". It's all you can do. Start with 5 minutes a day and add on 1 minute every week and before you know it, you'll be mediating for 10 minutes a day. Use music, use silence, use whatever will get you there. Also, recognize that the chatter is normal. You would have to be Buddah to completely silent right off the bat. Although it is challenging to silence the mind, it doesn't mean we can't ignore it. Essentially, don't identify with the thoughts. Let them come and go and every time you feel there is just a little space, a little quiet, that is actually you. Be the space, feel the space. Treat your mind like a toddler. If it throws a tantrum, look the other way. Ignore it until it decides to behave AKA shutting up. A lot of anxiety in our lives is caused by identification with thoughts. Mostly all past and future tense related. Let the thoughts dance in and out of your mind, you'll eventually realize that they only gather strength if you let them take over. If you feed it, you will fuel it. Make space this week. Make space for the true you which is not equivalent to the stories we make up in our minds. Be present, be the space.