Welcome.
My name is Ale Garnica.
It is common to think that performance anxiety comes from a situation,
An exam,
A presentation,
A speech,
Or a conversation.
But it actually comes from our thoughts,
From thinking that we might fail,
That we are not prepared enough,
Not good enough,
Not smart enough.
And believe it or not,
This is good news.
Because the moment you move your focus away from those thoughts,
Anxiety begins to decrease.
And that creates space for clarity and calm,
Which is what we all need in order to truly perform.
One powerful resource you already have to shift your focus is your five senses.
In this practice,
We'll use those senses to get grounded and help you feel ready for the situation you are about to face.
This technique is commonly called the 5-4-3-2-1 method.
You will notice five things you see,
Four things you touch,
Three things you hear,
Two things you smell,
And one thing you taste.
I will guide you through it.
Let's begin.
Start by making sure you are comfortable.
You may be sitting or laying down.
With your eyes open,
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
If you prefer,
You can place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen to feel the movement of your body as you breathe.
Be with your breath for a few moments.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
Gently bring it back to the present moment by focusing again on your breath.
Now,
Acknowledge five things you see around you.
You may name them silently or out loud as you notice them.
Chair,
Wall,
Pen.
Take a deep breath in and a slow breath out.
If you prefer to do the next steps with your eyes closed,
Feel free to do so.
Acknowledge four things you can touch.
It could be your skin against your clothes,
The chair or bed beneath you,
Your fingertips.
If you like,
You can name them as you feel them.
Take a deep breath in and a slow breath out.
Acknowledge three things you hear.
Any sound is welcome.
Perhaps a car in the distance,
The sound of your breath or someone's voice nearby.
If you prefer,
You can name them as you hear them.
Take a deep breath in and a slow breath out.
Acknowledge two things you can smell.
It might be your own scent,
The smell of the room or perhaps the fragrance of a plant or a flower nearby.
You may name them if that feels helpful.
Take a deep breath in and a slow breath out.
Acknowledge three things you can touch.
Notice whether there has been a shift in how you feel compared to when you began.
Welcome whatever is present.
Before closing this practice,
Take a moment to offer yourself gratitude.
For giving yourself the time and space to do this.
For wanting to feel different and for taking care of yourself.
Take one final deep breath.
If your eyes were closed,
Gently allow them to open.
I celebrate you for showing up today.
See you next time.