This meditation is designed to help you explore anxiety in a different way,
Not as something to get rid of,
But more of something to work with.
We're not aiming for calm at all costs,
We're aiming for clarity,
For a deeper understanding of what anxiety actually is,
And what it might be pointing to.
If it feels safe to do so,
You might like to gently close your eyes now,
Or simply soften your gaze.
Let's now start to focus on your body.
Take a moment to notice what's happening in your system.
Scan your body,
Starting from your feet,
And just be an observer.
Scan your ankles,
Your knees,
Your hips,
Your stomach.
Where is the tension?
What feels tight,
Fluttering,
Restless,
Or heavy?
And moving up to your hands,
Your arms,
Elbows,
Shoulders.
How do they feel?
Heavy?
Do you need to drop them down,
Maybe just a little bit?
What about your neck?
How does that feel?
You might like to take a moment to move your head from side to side,
And just notice any sensations.
And then just paying attention to your head,
Your eyes,
Your forehead,
And just noticing your breath too.
See if you can feel the cool air coming out of your nostrils and landing against the top of your lip.
You don't need to label anything yet,
Just observe,
As if you're collecting data.
Notice the pace of your breath,
And scanning back down your body again.
Noticing the temperature of your hands,
The sensation in your chest or gut.
Is there any tightness that you can let go of?
And just relax a little.
Anxiety shows up in the body first,
And your brain is constantly interpreting those signals.
Sometimes it gets it right,
Sometimes it doesn't.
But one of the most powerful things you can do is learn to interrupt the automatic story.
That's what we're here to practice in this meditation.
Let's take a look at what anxiety actually is.
Not just how it feels,
But what it means.
Physiologically,
Anxiety and excitement are nearly identical.
Your heart races,
Your breath becomes shallow,
You might feel heat,
Tension,
A sense of urgency.
So just taking a moment again to check in with your own body.
Where are you feeling that energy right now?
Is there a fluttering in your chest,
A tightness in your jaw,
A swirling in your stomach,
Or perhaps a sense of pressure in your limbs?
There's no need to change it and no need to try and stop it,
Just notice.
This is your body's way of trying to support you.
The body is getting ready for something,
But it's your mind that decides what that something is.
Anxiety will say,
This is dangerous,
I'm not ready,
Something bad is coming.
Whereas excitement might say,
This is important,
This means something to me,
I care,
I want to do this well.
Same body,
Different interpretation.
This is where you get to work with the energy,
Not fight it,
But reframe it.
So let's come back to the sensations in your body now,
And if you are currently feeling calm,
Then think about where you might usually feel anxiety when it is present.
And just go ahead and ask yourself gently,
What if this isn't anxiety?
What if this is activation?
Readiness?
Importance?
You don't have to believe it fully,
Just try the idea on and notice how these feelings might differ from the feelings you experience when you are excited.
You're not pushing the feeling away,
You're just giving it another way to be understood.
Let's take that into the next part,
Where we'll use breath and self-talk to shift what your brain is hearing from you.
Now we're going to use the body and the breath to help create a shift in your body.
And your internal experience.
Anxiety is,
At its core,
A physiological response.
Your system is doing exactly what it's designed to do.
And that is preparing you for a challenge.
But when the body stays on a high alert too long,
It can cloud your thinking and feed into the fear cycle.
By slowing your breathing down,
You're sending a signal to your brain that it can stand down.
That there is no immediate threat.
This is how we co-regulate with ourselves.
Not by ignoring the anxiety,
But by working with it.
Take a slow breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
We'll do two rounds of structured breathing now.
I'm breathing in for a count of four.
Two,
Three,
Four.
And out for a count of six.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Again,
Inhale.
Two,
Three,
Four.
And exhale.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
And if your mind starts to wander,
That's completely okay.
Just notice and then gently bring your focus back to the breath.
Now bring your awareness back to the feeling of anxiety or activation in your body.
And just notice any changes.
Has the intensity shifted at all?
Let's try something else now.
This time we'll shift the language.
What if instead of calling it anxiety,
You labeled it as energy,
Perhaps excitement,
Or anticipation,
Or even motivation?
Words matter because your brain listens to the way you describe your experience and responds accordingly.
Try silently saying to yourself,
I see what my body is doing.
It's preparing me for something that matters.
Or you might say,
I can feel this and still move forward.
You could try,
I see what you're doing,
Body.
Thank you for keeping me safe.
We're okay.
Or even,
I'm safe.
I've got this.
I know what to do next.
Choose a phrase that lands best for you.
And if nothing fits,
Just return to the breath.
You're already practicing the shift.
Now let's close this out together.
You've just done something incredibly important.
You've interrupted the automatic story.
Not by forcing the anxiety to disappear,
But by meeting it differently.
With breath,
With language,
With curiosity.
This is how we begin to change our relationship with anxiety.
From something that controls us,
To something we can respond to.
You may not feel completely different right now.
And that's okay.
This practice isn't about instant calm.
It's about building capacity.
And like any new habit,
It can feel strange at first.
Your brain is wired for safety,
Not change.
So it might tell you this won't work.
That it's pointless.
That you should just push through or avoid.
But that's just your nervous system doing its job.
It doesn't yet know that this new approach is safe.
The more often you practice,
The more your brain will start to recognize this as a useful response.
Over time,
The resistance fades.
And the shift becomes easier.
You're learning how to speak to your own nervous system.
And over time,
It starts to listen.
So as you return to your day,
You might want to carry one of today's phrases with you as a quiet reminder when things feel stirred up.
Maybe it's,
I can feel this and still move forward.
Or thank you body for preparing me for something that matters.
Or simply,
I've got this.
Whatever you choose,
Know that you've already shifted something today.
Just by showing up for yourself in this way.
And just taking now one final slow breath in and out.
And letting your shoulders drop.
And if it feels good,
Just stretching or just moving your body gently.
And whenever you are ready,
Gently opening your eyes.
And thank you for practicing with me.
I hope that this meditation landed with you in the way you needed it to.
Thank you for being here.
And thank you for taking time out of your day to spend it with me.
I hope this helps you move through the rest of your day with a little more ease.
And hopefully,
A little more clarity.
