Notice it, name it, breathe

For racing thoughts: name the feeling, find it in the body, breathe with it.

When a feeling is loud — worry, anger, nerves — fighting it often makes it louder. This short practice does the opposite: notice the feeling, put a name to it, find where it sits in the body, and breathe with it until it eases a little.

If a feeling is overwhelming or keeps coming back, talk to someone you trust, or to a professional.

The steps

• Notice: Stop what you are doing. Notice that a strong feeling is here.
• Name it: Say its name silently: this is worry. This is anger. This is nerves. Just naming it can soften it.
• Find it: Where do you feel it in your body? A tight chest, a knot in the stomach, hot cheeks? Rest your attention there.
• Breathe with it: Breathe slowly, as if breathing into that place. Let it be there.
• Next small step: Ask: what is one small, kind thing I can do next? Then do just that.

Tips

• Feelings come in waves: they rise, peak and fall, usually within a few minutes.
• Writing the feeling down in one sentence works the same way as naming it.

Related

• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding: a guided meditation
• Worry time
• Tense and release
• Calm before you speak
• The 20-20-20 screen break
• All the calm lessons

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