3 Easy Techniques to Calm Your Anxiety & Refocus Your Mind

When experiencing anxiety, it can often feel like the world as you know it is your greatest enemy. Anxiety can make you feel stuck, restless, and exhausted. All you want to do is escape, but it feels as if your mind is against you.

Although it may feel like an impossible task, with these simple techniques you can take back control, ground your mind, and enhance your ability to think clearly.

1. Focus on Your Breathing

Focusing on your breathing increases oxygen supply and triggers your parasympathetic nervous system. This will create a sense of calmness in the body and mind.

Here are a couple of breathing exercises proven to calm anxiety:

• Four Square Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds through your nose, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds through your mouth, repeat.

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• Belly Breathing: Start by sitting up straight and placing your hand on your belly. Inhale through your nose and focus on the movement of your hand on your belly. Next, exhale through your mouth while simultaneously pushing down on your belly with the same hand to get all the air out.

2. The 5-4-3-2-1 Trick

This technique brings your mind back to the present by distracting your anxious thoughts. By counting your surroundings according to your senses, you can regain control from your anxiety.

Look around you and count 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

3. Write, Write, Write

The power of writing is significantly underrated. When feeling anxious, try freewriting without overthinking the words. This will give you a space to freely express your emotions and combat negative thinking. It can also give you a way to reflect on progress made using certain techniques and exercises.

*If anxiety is negatively impacting your day-to-day life, it is important to seek out help from a licensed professional.