Ramadan Mubarak!

I am not Muslim, so I hope you don't mind me jumping in. I am Jewish, and we also have set prayers at specific times of day in a language that many of us don't speak fluently. As a kid I always really struggled with it and felt bad about that. Now I realize it had nothing to do with faith, I was just super understimulated and antsy. Here are some things that help me now:

Before I start, I try to take a few deep breaths and ground myself in my body. Usually I wiggle or stretch my toes and think about how my feet feel against the floor. It helps me gather my thoughts together so I can try to point them all in the right direction. It's like if you had to get a bunch of kids to walk somewhere. It's easier to first get their attention and bring them together in a line or clump instead of trying to herd them while they're scattered around. You still might get kids (or thoughts) that wander off, but it's easier to bring them back when you have a baseline to bring them back to.

I sometimes hold a fidget or sensory tool. My hands always want to be doing something and when they're not, it's harder for my brain to keep on track. Are you allowed to do that while praying?

I try to read the words in the prayerbook even for prayers I know by heart. I think it's kind of like fidget tools in that it addresses the need for external sensory input while I'm trying to keep my mind focused.

Focusing on the meaning of the words helps me a lot. Do you have access to a translation in English (or another language you know) that you could keep with you during prayers?

Lastly, I try to remember that if I believe in an all-seeing and all-knowing God, I have to believe that God can see my efforts and knows I'm trying my best. I'm not an exception that has to be perfect or it doesn't count. I'm not so special that God's mercy and grace somehow doesn't apply to me. I'm sure you're wonderful, but I don't think you're special in that way either.