Anxious right now? Try this short mindfulness exercise for anxiety

invisible-lioness.com

"hacking" your brain

So we'll try a different way of observing your feelings. "Observing your feelings" might sound like a joke to you. Having anxiety already feels like being a complete victim to your feelings, right?

But this mindfulness exercise works in a different way than you might think. Instead of focusing on the fear and anxiety and trying to fight it, you take the perspective of a scientist.

Observe how the anxiety presents itself PHYSICALLY

Does your breath get flat, maybe? Or do you feel a tightening in your chest? What does your heart do? And your stomach? Do your limbs tingle?

Why does it work?

This doesn't only seem like you stop being "hunted" and start taking control again.  It actually moves your brain activity from the amygdala to your prefrontal cortex.

The what?

This is oversimplified, of course, but the amygdala is the "fear player" and the prefrontal cortex can describe, regulate emotions, and, generally, is more "reasonable". 

Interrupt yourself

Additionally, it interrupts your fear experience and helps you take a step back from the intense emotional experience.

Want more exercises?

If you liked this one, you can find a few more mindfulness exercises for anxiety below. Always good to have some on hand, isn't it?