observational	stance	makes	room	to	challenge	the	accuracy	of	your	thoughts
and	weigh	their	usefulness	to	you.
STRATEGY:	“THINKING	ABOUT”	VS.
“EXPERIENCING”
This	strategy	challenges	your	thoughts	in	a	new	way.	The	exercise	is	designed
to	help	you	distinguish	between	your	actual	experience	and	your
interpretation
	
of	what	you’re	experiencing.	When	we	observe,	not	overthink,
we	become	liberated	from	anxiety.
1.
	
Bring	all	your	attention	to	your	heartbeat.	Place	a	hand	on	your	heart.
Or	see	if	you	can	turn	your	awareness	inward	and	actually	feel	the
beating	within	your	chest.
2.
	
Distinguish	thoughts	from	experience.	Thoughts	might	be,	“I	can’t
find	my	heartbeat,”	or	“My	heart	is	beating	too	fast,”	or	“I	worry	I
have	a	heart	condition.”	Rather	than	judgment	or	analysis	of	your
heartbeat,	experience	your	heartbeat,	become	aware	of	its	rhythm.	How
does	it	feel	thumping	against	the	palm	of	your	hand?
3.
	
Like	finding	the	beat	in	a	song,	your	awareness	is	less	thought-focused
(“Did	I	get	that	lyric	right?”)	and	more	experience-focused	(“Thump,
thump,	thump.”).
4
	
.
	
Sense	your	chest	rising	and	falling	in	rhythm	with	the	sensation	of