Mindfulness Practices for Managing Anxiety & Stress

Box breathing

Inhale for four counts, hold your breath for four, exhale for four, and hold your breath again for four. This breathing technique calms the nervous system and reduces stress.

Check out our breathwork video for more breathing practices and their benefits.

Body scan meditation

Focus on each part of your body, starting at the toes and working up. This technique releases tension and brings awareness to the present moment.

Check out our body scan video to learn more about this practice and its benefits.

Grounding technique

The “5-4-3-2-1” method involves identifying:

• five things you see
• four you can touch
• three you can hear
• two you can smell
• one you can taste

This exercise helps you reconnect with the present moment.

Loving-kindness meditation

Repeat phrases like “May I be safe.” and “May I be healthy.” to build compassion for yourself and others. This practice helps you improve your emotional, social, mental, and physical health by focusing on the positive aspects of life.

Visualization for calm

Imagine a peaceful place, focusing on sounds, colors, and scents to reduce stress. Like loving-kindness meditation, this practice helps you improve your emotional, social, mental, and physical health by focusing on positive thoughts.