Sometimes,
Our minds can spend too much time in the future,
Worried about what might happen,
Or too much time in the past,
Obsessing over mistakes we've made,
Or times we've been hurt.
This is driven by a part of your brain called the default mode network.
Just as an anchor keeps a boat from moving too far forward or backwards,
We can use our breath as an anchor for our minds.
You cannot take a breath from the future,
Nor from the past.
By focusing our attention on our breath,
It forces us into the present moment,
And out of our unhealthy thinking patterns.
In this exercise,
We will focus on three anchors to help us keep our attention on our breath.
We can use words like breathing in,
Breathing out,
Or simply in,
Out.
But we can also use physical anchors to connect us with our breath.
The first anchor is your belly.
Place the palm of your hands on your belly button.
Close your eyes and feel the belly rise and fall with each breath.
When your mind drifts away,
Which it will definitely,
Simply return to the feeling of your belly rise and fall.
The second anchor is on your chest.
Place your palm on your chest.
Close your eyes and focus your attention on the feeling of your chest rise and fall with each breath.
When your mind wanders,
Simply return to the feeling of your chest as it rises and falls with each breath.
The final anchor is your face.
Place the palm of your hand about an inch or so away from your face in front of your nose and mouth.
Simply close your eyes and feel the cool air rise in through your nose and the warm air hit your hand as you slowly exhale.
Cool air in.
Warm air out.
Again when your mind wanders,
Return to the physical sensation of the cool air in through your nose and the warm air hitting your hand.
Now take a moment to find the anchor that worked best for you.
The one you found to be the easiest to help you keep your attention on your breath.
Your belly,
Your chest,
Or your face.
Place your hand on your anchor and bring your attention to the physical sensation of your breath.
When your mind wanders,
Simply return to your anchor over and over again.
The next time you catch yourself stuck in a loop of future anxiety or past pain,
Find your anchor and pull yourself into the present moment.
Your mind and body will be glad you did.
