5 Grounding Exercises to Treat Your Anxiety
Anxiety can cause daily struggles that can impact your work, fitness, and overall health. When you feel overcome with anxiety at any given time, it is helpful to invoke your five senses to ground yourself in reality. As an expert in anxiety therapy, Dr. Phillips recommends certain tips to relieve your anxiety, including grounding yourself by using your senses. These are a few helpful grounding exercises to practice when you are feeling anxious.
Pick Up Your Pen
Writing down your emotions as you experience them can assist in grounding yourself in reality and getting out of your own head. When thoughts are swirling and you feel yourself spiraling, you may want to pick up a pencil and start to write out your thoughts. As you write them, you may start to feel lighter, as they can start to feel farther away. Some people also enjoy journaling as a way to release emotions or understand them even deeper.
Practice Your Breathing
Breathing exercises are another common way that you can alleviate anxiety in the moment. Sometimes we forget to breathe in the middle of a bout of stress and anxiety. Take the time to practice deep breathing when you feel tense or have racing thoughts. Get comfortable, close your eyes, and inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. Once you do this a few times, open your eyes and you may just feel centered and composed once again.
Use the Power of Water
Our sense of touch can be ignited by touching a stream of water when feeling overwhelmed with emotion. Try running your hands under a faucet or splashing some water on your face. This sensation can make you feel more present in the reality right in front of you. Consider using cold water, as it can invigorate your senses even more, causing you to feel more alert and more focused.
Recite Affirmations
Changing the way you think is no easy feat. However, when you are overcome with anxiety, you may want to take a step back and practice some basic affirmations. A positive outlook can negate some of those negative emotions you have swirling in your head, and it can bring you back to the moment with a refreshed outlook. Practice affirmations that relate to your current struggles, such as “I am ready for this test” or “I am a beautiful person, inside and out.”
Get Outside
If you can, get some fresh air. Take a walk in nature, visit a local park, or just schedule an outdoor picnic for your lunchbreak. When you take the time to enjoy nature, you can use its healing properties to calm your mind and alleviate your stress. While you are outside, take notice of the world around you. Smell the fresh air, feel the breeze on your face, and listen to the sounds of the birds chirping, water trickling, or leaves rustling.
These grounding exercises can work in alleviating your anxiety and bringing you into the reality that exists in front of you. If you are ready to treat your anxiety, trust our expert in anxiety therapy, Dr. Phillips, with any of your concerns.
Contact Orlando Thrive Therapy to hear about our qualifications and approach to therapy today.
