Low Anxiety
28 – 65
You seem to have your stress and anxiety under some control – congratulations! Chances are that your resilience is reasonably strong and you utilize stress-management techniques and calming practices like yoga or meditation on a fairly regular basis.
Perhaps you’re just going through a rough patch, with a lot of extra stressors in your life right now. Or maybe you’re managing things on the surface, but inside it still feels a bit overwhelming. Or perhaps you’re just forgetting to practice what you already know.
Here’s a simple mindfulness practice to bring you back into the present moment and calm your nervous system when you’re getting more stressed out and anxious. This exercise uses the sense of touch to calm, soothe, and connect you with yourself. You can do this just about anywhere for a minute or two – even while waiting at the dentist office.
Self-Soothing Exercise
- Sit comfortably in a chair or on a couch.You want to be relaxed and at ease in this practice. If it feels right, close your eyes, so you can focus your attention inward.
- Pay attention to your breath.Gently and deeply inhale, and then relax as you exhale.
- Now, take one hand and place it on top of the other. Feel the warmth of the hand on top as it touches the bottom hand. Give your full attention to the experience of being touched by the top hand. Take in the warmth and the contact. Breathe into it.
- Begin to gently and slowly stroke the bottom hand with the top one. Do this with a loving, soft touch. Find a way to touch your bottom hand that feels soothing and pleasurable. As if you were a mother comforting a baby.
- Can you allow yourself to feel the sensation of being touched, kindly and lovingly, in this manner? Be present with yourself and the experience of touching your hand and being touched by your other hand.
- Hold the other hand with your top hand. Feel the embrace and stronger connection of being held. Breathe into it.
- After a few minutes of this, what do you notice? Just the practice of paying attention and becoming present with the sensations can be calming, but the gentle, loving touch is also soothing. You are taking the time to connect with yourself, and connection helps release anxiety.
- You can touch your arm, belly, or face in a similar manner. Explore how it feels to be very present, compassionate, and loving towards yourself.Notice how you feel.
Even though your anxiety isn’t severe, you might still benefit from a supportive group with a guide to help you shift out of stress and anxiety into a more calm and relaxed state – and integrate those skills into your daily life. That’s why I created the Awakening from Anxiety online program.
Look for an email with a date and link to a free webinar to learn more tips and answer questions you might have about your anxiety, and what the Awakening from Anxiety program offers.
Don’t want to wait? Contact me to schedule a free call to see if it’s right for you!
