Today's resource is a classic grounding exercise. It's a short-term, in-the-moment, I-need-something-NOW tool that can be incredibly empowering for people suffering from panic attacks and flashbacks.

Use this when you start to feel your anxiety rising, when your thoughts are starting to spin, when you're getting overwhelmed and need to get a break from your own head.  It works, if you practice regularly so it's easy to remember when you need it. I recommend trying it at random moments throughout the day when you are relaxed so you associate the practice with relaxation. Build it into your routine so it's familiar.

This version uses 4 senses, and encourages people to breathe 3 times. Find out if this feels good for you, and adjust. Maybe you want to breathe deeply between each sense. Maybe you want to breathe 2 times to start, then add more as you begin to relax.

Some people use just one sense, such as sight. When focusing on vision, try noticing color as a way to focus. For example, I see: a purple wall (breathe), green tree (breathe), grey sidewalk(breathe...) etc.

Another version is "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." This uses the senses in order of what's easiest for most people. In this variation, name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch (even as simple as noticing your shirt sleeve against your arm), 2 things you can smell (if any), and lastly, notice if there is one thing you can taste- even if it is the aftertaste of coffee from this morning. Breathe deeply once or twice between each sense.  

This is a simple way to pull yourself out of racing thoughts, to give your nervous system a moment to calm down and give yourself a chance to redirect your attention or activities, or take yourself someplace else that is less overwhelming for a break.

Techniques like this are not a cure-all, but they are a handy addition to one's tool box. Realizing that we can have some control over experiences that seem to just take us over can profoundly change our relationship with those experiences. This can offer freedom from the secondary anxiety that arises about the possibility of becoming anxious. If you struggle with anxiety, remember you don't have to do it alone. Talk to a therapist, reach out to friends, even check out online forums. Wherever you feel comfortable starting, I encourage you to share your experience with others, and explore. In the meantime, pick a sense or a couple senses that you can notice. Pick a number of deep breaths to combine with that noticing, and practice.