How to Ground Yourself When You’re Feeling Anxious
Because sometimes, it sneaks in when you least expect it.
You’re doing the dishes. Or replying to an email. Or trying to get your child’s shoes on while the clock keeps ticking.
And then — out of nowhere — your chest feels tight. Your thoughts race. You suddenly feel like you can’t breathe.
That’s anxiety.
And while it might feel all-consuming in the moment, there are small, gentle steps you can take to calm your body and steady your mind.
Here’s what I recommend, both as a Clinical Social Worker and as someone who knows this feeling personally.
1. Notice and name it.
The first step is awareness. You might say something quietly to yourself like, “This is anxiety. I’m feeling activated right now, and that’s okay.”
Naming it helps the brain shift from panic to observation. It tells your nervous system: I’m safe enough to notice what’s happening.
2. Come back to your body.
Anxiety lives in the body. To move through it, we need to reconnect with the body’s safety signals.
Try this:
Place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. Feel the rise and fall.
Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique:
Name 5 things you can see,
4 things you can touch,
3 things you can hear,
2 things you can smell,
1 thing you can taste.
These cues bring you back to the present — gently reminding your brain that you’re here, and you’re safe.
3. Breathe in rhythms.
When we’re anxious, our breathing becomes shallow and erratic — which tells the brain we’re in danger (even when we’re not).
Try this rhythm:
Inhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4. Exhale for 6.
Do it 3–5 times. Let the exhale be longer than the inhale. This helps regulate your nervous system and bring you back into balance.
4. Shift your environment if you can.
Sometimes, a change of space or sensation helps reset your system.
Step outside and feel the sun or breeze on your face.
Run warm or cold water over your hands.
Wrap yourself in a blanket
Light a calming candle or use essential oils like lavender or frankincense.
Small shifts can send powerful messages to the body: You are safe. You are supported.
5. Remind yourself: this will pass.
Anxiety always feels permanent when you’re in it — but it isn’t. It comes in waves.
You don’t need to fix everything in the moment. You just need to ride this wave with as much gentleness as you can.
Try whispering to yourself:
“This will pass. I’ve felt this before. I know how to move through it.”
You are not alone.
If anxiety has been visiting you often — or staying longer than you’d like — there is support available. You don’t have to navigate this alone, and you don’t have to “just cope.”
💛 My Break Free from Anxiety course is completely free and offers practical, calming tools you can access anytime. Or, if you want tailored support, my Anxiety Breakthrough offers personalized video feedback based on your unique experience.
Anxiety doesn’t define you.
It’s a signal, not a sentence.
You’re doing your best — and that’s more than enough.