5-4-3-2-1 Ground Technique For Anxiety

Some days we wake up and just don't feel right in our mind and in our body.

In a world that's always on,

It's easy to get caught up in stress and anxiety.

Between work deadlines,

Social responsibilities and life's uncertainties,

It's no wonder many of us feel on edge.

Navigating the day with a racing mind and tension in your body is overwhelming and it can put us in a downward spiral that feels impossible to get out of.

Hi,

I'm Rebecca and I get it,

I've been there,

Many times,

But I'm here to pull your focus back from what's worrying you and return you to the present moment,

To help calm the body's fight or fight response and help you reach a more balanced state of mind.

I'll guide you through a grounding technique which taps into all five senses.

By diverting our attention to each sense,

We disrupt the cycle of anxious or stressful thoughts.

This practice can be done anywhere and at any time,

But let's choose now.

Before we begin,

Take a moment to get comfortable.

Whether you're sitting or laying down,

Allow yourself to arrive in this moment.

And let's begin with our eyes open.

Take a moment to spot five things in your immediate environment.

Whether it's a lampshade,

A table or a nostalgic family photo,

The goal here is to really see the how many different textures are around you.

Now let's go a little inward.

Take a deep breath in,

Perhaps your longest one today,

And as you exhale,

Close down your eyes.

Starting close,

What can you hear?

Perhaps the beat of your heart,

Or the ocean-like wave of your body breathing in and out.

Let's go a little further out now.

Perhaps there's the hum of the traffic outside your window,

Or the echo of people talking in the distance.

Identify four sounds near and far.

You can even name them with one simple word.

Heart,

Breath,

People.

And now without changing anything,

Let's move on to touch.

Become aware of three things you can feel.

The fabric of your clothes,

The texture of the surface beneath you,

And perhaps even a tingling sensation in your fingers and toes.

Now take a deep breath in and identify two smells around you.

This could be the aroma of fresh coffee,

Or the laundry detergent lingering on your clothes.

Focus on your sense of taste.

It can help here to swallow.

Identifying one taste.

And here concludes this meditation.

It concludes the cycle of senses.

This is a practice you can come back to in moments of overwhelm,

To help anchor yourself back into the present moment.

Let's take one last breath together.

Inhaling through your nose,

Open the mouth and sigh it out.

And as you go about the rest of your day,

Remind yourself that the peace you have just cultivated here now comes from within you.

Peace is always there.

It sometimes just needs our attention.