The 5 Minute 5 Step Path to Minimizing Anxiety

An Uncomplicated Life; a seemingly unattainable goal.

A life with out anxiety: unimaginable if the two are synonymous with each other.

One practice to minimize anxiety and achieve an uncomplicated life: Mindfulness

Think of all that you have done in your life.

All that you have overcome.

All you have accomplished.

I promise you: YOU HAVE IT IN YOU TO MAKE A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE A PART OF EVERYDAY OF YOUR LIFE.

In 5 minutes a day you will learn to live mindfully by practicing the following.

But first:
There is no wrong way to do this!

1.Sit in a comfortable spot. Begin your mindfulness practice by focusing on your breath, it will help ground you for the session. Focus on drawing your breath in and exhaling it out. Just do it. Everyone has wandering thoughts while doing this. It's OK. It's a part of the journey.

(Are you a mantra aficionado? Some people find it useful to use a mantra to focus on: That is a word or phrase that you say aloud and/or chant. It can be ‘Om’, something like ‘Peace’ ‘Love’ ‘Calm’ or anything you want. You can use an audio or video of guided meditation if that helps you stay focused. Mix it up to stay fresh and curious.)

2.When you find your mind wandering, and you will, simply return to observing your breath for a minute or so to get back into your practice. You might say aloud ‘thinking’ to label what occurred (your mind wandering to other things) without judging it as bad or good.

3.Observe: Your thoughts, feelings and sensations - it's not forever it's just 5 minutes but maybe the most potent 5 minutes of your day.

4.Label: Your thoughts, feelings and sensations, even the errant ones that occur when the mind wanders; this can be helpful in the ‘observing and letting go’ process.

5. Release: Any thoughts, feelings or sensations without judgment – wash them away with your breath. Don't underestimate the power of your breath to cleanse your mind and encourage ease.

The more days you do this 5 minute practice, the easier it becomes. That's a research based fact.

There are active forms of mindfulness for those who can benefit from something more involved, ie. mindful movement and mindful walking. That's for another article!

Begin by setting aside 5 minutes to practice mindfulness. You can stay right here and reap tremendous rewards. You want more?  Increase it to 10 minutes and continue to increase your time every week or so until you are practicing 20 minutes.