Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here today. Saturday evening, right as the weekend winds down and maybe tomorrow's obligations are creeping in—that particular time when anxiety loves to tap you on the shoulder and whisper all its worries, isn't it? Today, we're going to gently show anxiety that you've got this. We're going to practice something I call grounding through sensation, and it's honestly one of my favorite tricks when the mind won't settle.

So find yourself somewhere comfortable, wherever that is. Maybe you're on your couch, maybe you're in bed, maybe you're in your car during a lunch break. Wherever you are is perfect. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears, and take one really good, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Hold it gently for four. Now exhale through your mouth like you're fogging a mirror, counting to four. Beautiful. One more time. In through the nose, four counts. Hold. Out through the mouth, four counts. Already, your nervous system is listening.

Now, here's where we anchor anxiety to the earth where it actually belongs. I want you to notice five things you can see. Really see them. The way light hits that wall, the color of your blanket, a shadow in the corner. Just name them silently. Five things. Take your time.

Next, four things you can physically feel. The texture of fabric under your fingers, your feet against the floor or ground, the temperature of the air on your skin, the chair beneath you. Feel each one like you're meeting it for the first time. Sink into that sensation.

Three things you can hear. Maybe it's distant traffic, the hum of a refrigerator, your own breath, silence itself. Listen without judgment.

Two things you can smell. If there's nothing obvious, that's okay—just notice the air itself.

And one thing you can taste. Maybe it's the taste of your own mouth, your toothpaste, the lingering flavor of your last meal.

You've just traveled through your five senses, and here's the beautiful truth: anxiety lives in worry about what might happen. Your senses? They only exist right now. What you just did was anchor yourself so firmly to this present moment that anxiety couldn't find purchase. You're safe here.

Carry this practice with you today. When anxiety creeps in, pause and find just three things you can see. That's it. That's sometimes enough to remind your body that you're okay.

Thank you so much for joining me on Anxiety Relief Daily: Mindfulness Techniques for Inner Calm. Please subscribe so you never miss a practice, and remember—you're doing better than you think you are. See you next time.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI