Calming the Mind and Easing Anxiety Through Simple Exercises

Have you ever been driving someplace and arrived without any memory of the drive? Does your brain feel like it is constantly overextended, trying to balance everything in your home, work, and social life? If this feels like you, then keep reading for some easy, simple, practical tools to help you reconnect to the moment.

A great exercise for calming anxious thoughts is to do some box breathing. Box breathing is fairly simple — breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, and exhale for 4 counts. Continue to move through this exercise while focusing on your breath, and after a minute or two you may find yourself more relaxed and at ease. Box breathing can be done anywhere from the car, to at work, to those difficult moments when a family member pushes just the right button to get you worked up. Bring your attention to your breath and find yourself reconnected to the present moment and out of the thought spiral.

Another grounding technique requires using all five senses in a pyramid format. Start by identifying five things you can see, then four things you can feel – these things can be internal or external. Third, draw your attention to three things you can hear. Next, find two things that you can smell around you. Lastly, identify one thing you can taste.

There are countless techniques to help you quiet and calm an anxious mind, all that counts is that you find a few that work best for you. Feel free to check out grounding meditations or exercises and try them out for yourself.