Hello everyone! Here is a simple grounding technique that can calm your anxiety: When anxiety shows up, our minds race into the future: “What if this happens, what if that happens?” “What if I can’t cope?” “What if the worst happens?” But your body is not somewhere in the future. It is here in the present moment. Grounding techniques help bring your mind back to where your body already is. One way of being present, is to focus on your breathing. The Breath is Your Anchor: Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system responsible for calming your body. Try slow, deep inhales… and even slower exhales. Make the exhale longer than the inhale. This signals safety to your brain and helps you feel more grounded and “in yourself.” Diaphragmatic breathing (or belly breathing) is a breathing technique that involves breathing in deeply and gently, filling all your lungs with air and feeling the diaphragm, or the muscle beneath your lungs, contract. When you exhale, slowly and gently, you will feel the diaphragm relax, as it pushes the air out of the lungs. Repeat this for a few times and while you are breathing, really notice the movement of your chest rise and fall.
