Sense	your	chest	rising	and	falling	in	rhythm	with	the	sensation	of
your	heart’s	beating.	See	if	you	can	notice	how	your	heartbeat
decreases	as	you	observe	it	or	increases	as	you	become	caught	up	in
your	thoughts.
STRATEGY:
	
RECORD	YOUR	THOUGHTS
Keeping	a	record	of	your	thoughts	is	a	powerful	strategy	for	breaking	out	of
the	anxiety	spiral.	Instead	of	those	thoughts	going	around	and	around	in	your
head,	writing	is	a	way	to	examine	them	in	a	more	realistic,	less	emotional
light.	This	kind	of	reflection	puts	you	in	control	of	your	thoughts	instead	of
your	thoughts	controlling	you.	Then	you’re	no	longer	reacting	to	unrealistic,
over-the-top	thinking	that	only	ramps	up	your	anxiety.
Use	this	exercise	when	you	become	aware	you’re	experiencing	anxiety	so
you	can	get	better	at	catching	your	thoughts	early,	before	they	mushroom.
This	strategy	also	helps	when	revisiting	an	anxious	moment	after	the	fact.
Identify	a	situation/interaction/image/thought	stream	that	brings	about
anxiety	for	you.