All 4-StepsTM Exercise
Working With Anxiety
Something concerns you, and your well-being system raises an alarm, a quickened heart, a tight chest, shallow breath, thoughts arriving faster than you can follow.
BookmarkAbout This Practice
Something concerns you, and your well-being system raises an alarm, a quickened heart, a tight chest, shallow breath, thoughts arriving faster than you can follow. That alarm is uncomfortable, and it is easy to become frightened of the alarm itself. That second fear is what we mean by anxiety. It is not fear of the situation. It is fear of what your body and mind are doing about the situation.
That is why anxiety feeds itself. The alarm is unpleasant, you brace against it, the bracing tells the system something is wrong, and the alarm continues. The way out is not to argue the alarm down or to prove the concern is unfounded. It is to stay with the alarm and find out that you can.
Guided Practice
Choose the practice length that suits you today.
Working With Anxiety
Practice Methods
Meditation
Sit or lie down comfortably, with your eyes closed or resting softly. Follow along with the audio recording.
Writing
Have paper and a writing instrument ready. Name the situation, the anxious prediction, and the sensations you notice. Separate what you feel from what the available evidence shows, then write a balanced response and one manageable next step.
Inner Child
Sit comfortably and bring to mind a younger version of yourself, or look at a childhood photograph. Follow the recording while offering your younger self steadiness and reassurance, without promising that nothing difficult will happen.
Mirror
Sit or stand comfortably in front of a mirror. Follow the recording while looking at yourself, naming the anxiety without judgment and stating the balanced response aloud. Soften or briefly shift your gaze whenever needed.
Real-World Practice
And once you have practiced the skill, carry it into your day. When the alarm rises, let it be there while you carry on with what you were doing, and notice afterwards that you were able to. That noticing is where the trust accumulates.
Micro Practice: Just Three Breaths…
- Breath – Notice the alarm in the body and let it be there.
- Breath – Notice the urge to make it stop, and let that be there too.
- Breath – Stay with it and carry on with what you were doing. Carrying on while it is present is the evidence.