If you find yourself starting to feel anxious,
Begin by finding a comfortable seat somewhere.
Plant your feet solidly on the ground,
Feeling the connection with the earth beneath you.
Bring your awareness to your thighs and legs,
Allowing yourself to settle into the present moment.
Often,
During anxiety attacks,
Our focus narrows and our bodies enter a fight-or-flight response.
Our pupils dilate and our attention becomes laser-focused on the source of our anxiety.
The first step in regaining control is to consciously expand our focus.
Look around you,
Take in your surroundings.
Notice the colors,
Shapes,
And textures.
And now,
Let's try a technique to shift your focus and ground yourself.
Find everything of a certain color.
Let's start with a color green.
Look for green objects around you.
This simple act of observation can redirect your mind and break the cycle of anxiety.
Next,
Let's play a game to engage your mind further.
Look for things that start with the letter A and then gradually go through the alphabet.
This activity helps broaden your focus and pulls you away from the intensity of anxious thoughts.
Remember,
Throughout this process,
It's crucial to stay connected with your breath.
Anxiety often makes us feel like we're on the verge of passing out,
But it's essential to remind yourself that this is unlikely.
Your increased heart rate and blood pressure are part of the body's natural response to stress.
So,
Take a moment,
Breathe,
Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.
You don't need to hyperventilate,
Just let your breath flow naturally.
This conscious breathing will help bring a sense of calmness and stability to your body and mind.
Practice this tool whenever you feel anxiety creeping in.
By grounding yourself in the present moment,
Expanding your focus and connecting with your breath,
You can empower yourself to navigate through anxious moments with greater ease.
Remember,
You have the strength within you to co-overcome anxiety.
Remember to feel your legs.
Remember to feel your feet on the ground.
Focus on your lower body.
When we get anxious,
Our energy flows a lot into our heads.
So,
Remember to refocus our energy back into our thighs,
Our calves,
Our shins,
The top of our feet,
The bottom of our feet,
To feel like we are supported by earth,
To broaden our vision,
To notice different colors,
To label things of different colors all around us,
To go through the alphabet and name things starting with the letter A,
B,
C,
And so on.
You have the power within you.
Keep going on with this exercise for as long as you wish,
For as long as it takes you to feel grounded and centered again.
Sometimes it won't take very long at all,
Maybe just a couple of minutes,
And maybe some other days it will take a bit longer than that.
That's okay.
The more you practice,
The more you will have the confidence and the evidence that you have the power to overcome these anxious moments.
