How to Feel Less Anxious in 60 Seconds
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in today’s world.
As a therapist, I’ve seen a recent increase in anxiety-related disorders. In fact, the World Health Organization reported a dramatic 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In my own practice, many people tell me that it takes less and less for them to feel overwhelmed these days. Many of them have common physical symptoms of feeling overwhelmed—like stomach aches or migraines—and some people get so overwhelmed that they feel paralyzed and like they are “stuck.”
The constant bombardment of information through channels like the news and social media can leave little room in our brains for our own thoughts. Anxiety, stress, and trauma are experienced in the body but often keep us locked in our heads. So when I feel overwhelmed, the first thing I do—and what I teach my clients to do, too—is to check in with the body and practice grounding techniques for anxiety. From a place of better self-regulation, you can assess what you need in each moment. You can honor and respond to your body’s needs, which can help you feel less anxious and less stressed in the long term.
Grounding is a simple tool to help you reduce anxiety immediately.
Grounding can help you re-align with the present moment (mindfulness techniques are especially helpful if your anxiety keeps you stuck in the past or worried about the future)
Grounding can help you create space around challenging feelings like anxiety and stress (especially helpful if you need to relieve stress quickly)
Grounding can be done anywhere, anytime (very helpful if you’re trying to overcome social anxiety or are in places where you can’t easily remove yourself—like when you’re stuck in traffic or waiting for a doctor’s appointment)
Join me for 60 seconds as we practice a simple grounding technique that can help you feel less anxious in the short video below. (To view the video on Instagram, click here.)
If you’re looking for a therapist or coach for anxiety or stress who will help you find lasting ways to feel less overwhelmed, I hope you’ll reach out to me today.
How to reduce anxiety immediately: 60 second grounding technique to ease anxiety and stress
