Anxiety — Practice Sheet

01 · Ready reckoner

The wiser way to meet anxiety

Four moves, in order. The whole practice on a single glance — return to it when the flicker starts.

1

Notice without gripping

Name it gently — “Anxiety is here,” not “I am anxious.” You are the space it appears in.

“Anxiety is here.”

2

Find it in the body

Where does it live — chest, stomach, jaw? Rest your attention there without trying to change it.

3

Thank the signal

Ask what it’s protecting. Underneath is usually something you value — safety, competence, connection.

“What are you protecting?”

4

Choose your next move

Respond rather than react. Carry the anxiety toward what matters like a companion, not a commander.

02 · Regulate first

In the moment

When intensity spikes, the thinking brain goes offline. Reset the body first — then the four steps above become possible.

When the flicker spikes

Name it & place it

Say it quietly: “Anxiety is here.” Then find where it sits in the body and let your breath reach toward it — you don’t have to fix it, only feel it.

Naming and locating an emotion loosens its grip. From there, the four steps become possible.

03 · Go deeper

Try this

A practice for when you have a few minutes to yourself.

The Physiological Sigh

30 seconds

1
Inhale deeply through your nose.
2
At the top, take a second short inhale — a “sip” of air.
3
Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth.
4
Repeat two or three times, until the edge softens.

04 · Reflect

Journal it

Three questions. Write into them by hand on the printed sheet, or type below — your words save on this device.

What is the anxiety pointing at — what do I care about here?

Where does it live in my body, and what is it like when I stop fighting it?

What is one small move toward what matters that I can make today?