Start
- Find a quiet place where you can sit up straight and comfortably, such as the edge of your bed, the floor, or a chair.
- Close your eyes and focus on your breathing or another focal point to be fully present.
- Relax your body by loosening your shoulders, loosening your jaw, and softening your eyebrows.
Mindful meditation to deal with anxiety
The effects of anxiety extend far beyond our crippling worries and fears. Perhaps we feel anxiety manifesting in other parts of our body: tension in our jaw, stiffness in our shoulders, anxiety settling in our gut. Adding psychological symptoms to physical symptoms can make an already painful feeling of anxiety even more daunting.
Visualizing anxiety as a dark cloud or an unwelcome visitor can help you distance yourself from it, reducing the intensity of the emotions and distress associated with it. Use this meditation to identify the feeling of anxiety in your body and visually imagine it leaving your body as you exhale. I’ll repeat it just in case.
This meditation is also part of Verywell Mind’s 30-day meditation email series. Pause and play. Sign up here to subscribe and continue your mindfulness journey with us. Check out our meditation library for more videos.
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