Mindfulness for Easing Anxiety 

Audience – Young Adults/ Parents and Carers

Introduction 

We all feel anxious at times, and this is a normal emotion. 

However, sometimes we would like to be able to work through these feelings and feel calmer. 

Mindfulness is a wonderful tool that is easy to learn and apply and can be done in all different settings and situations. It doesn’t long to work either.

It is basically a way of managing your breath to settle your thoughts and allow you to feel grounded and in control. 

It allows us to work with a part of the brain which is all about logical thinking and decisions rather than the part of the brain which focuses on stress situation. 

There are lots of ways to practise and here are some suggestions to get you started on your Mondfulness journey. 

Breathing Practise

1. Find a comfortable place to sit where it’s quiet. 
2. Place your hands in your lap and let yourself settle.
3. If you feel able to do close your eyes
4. Take a deep breath in through your nose and count to 3. 
5. Breath out through your mouth – blow the air out as if you are blowing through a bubble wand – count to 3.
6. Do this 5 times.
7. Really focus on your breath. Let yourself notice how it feels as you breath in and out.
8. If you find yourself drifting off just bring yourself back with the next in breath and say to yourself – reset.
9. Notice how you begin to feel calmer and more present. 

Easing Anxiety with Breathing and Colour 

1. Find your place to sit.
2. Start your breathing as before.
3. Notice this time where you feel anxious or worried – is it in your chest, your tummy, your head? 
4. Let yourself just feel that. 
5. Think about what colour this feeling could be and start to visualize this. 
6. Then think about what colour a different feeling like calmness or happiness might be. 
7. With your next in breath visualize replacing the old colour with the new colour
8. When you breath in the new colour becomes stronger
9. When you breath out the old colour starts to fade. 
10. Really focus on how the new colour and the new feeling. 
11. Tell yourself ‘I will feel like this for the rest of my day’

Tip – if you have a colour which really helps then find a few things to have around you in that colour to remind you of the feeling. 

The more you practise your breathing the more you will benefit – and soon you will be able to go to your breathing even when you can’t sit in your normal place. 

You can do your breathing when waiting for an exam to start, when travelling somewhere, in a new situation or place. 

Use this mantra to help you remember when you begin to feel anxious.

Stop, Breathe, Be Present, Be Mindful