My journey into mindfulness to ease stress and anxiety

Last weekend, I didn’t have my usual super long phone call with my sister because she was busy. When I asked what she was going to do she said she was having a specially long session of mindfulness. She said it was part of a course she’s doing.

The sessions are online, via Zoom meetings. That particular special weekend session was going to last for five hours. She said it was also like a silent retreat because the participants were not going to speak; only the instructor was going to do so to give instructions for the different exercises.

I imagine there was also a lot of focus involved in that session. When later I asked her about it, she said she had loved it. Apparently, mindfulness helps to deal with emotions, all sorts of emotions.

Right now, I am not in a mental place where I feel I could stand five hours of continuous mindfulness or anything. However, after that conversation, I became curious and have spent part of this week researching, reading, and experimenting with some shorter mindfulness exercises for beginners. Perhaps one day I can commit to a longer session.

Intention, attention, and attitude: the 3 pillars of mindfulness

The 3-3-3 anxiety rule

I found this exercise that I think it’s easier for a beginner or if you don’t have too much time in your day. It’s called the 3-3-3 anxiety rule.

It involves shifting your attention to the following:

Three things you can see:

Identify three things you can see around you. Take a moment to really observe these objects, noting their details, colors, and shapes. This process helps to shift your focus from internal anxiety to your external environment

Three things you can hear:

Find three sounds you can hear. These could be as loud as a blaring siren or as subtle as the hum of an air conditioner

Three ways you can move your body:

Move three parts of your body. It could be as simple as rolling your shoulders, wiggling your toes, or turning your head. Pay attention to the sensations caused by each movement

You can repeat the process as many times as you need until you feel more calm.

This is a grounding technique, a coping skill that is meant to teach you how to manage intense emotions by steering the mind away from anxiety and toward the present moment. It’s a way of distracting yourself from your anxiety and thoughts by shifting your attention toward your senses.

The 5-4-3-2-1 method

The 5-4-3-2-1 method is a simple grounding exercise that can help you manage acute stress and reduce anxiety.

It does, indeed, sound simple, but then again, we all know very well that not all what seems to be simple or easy actually is, right? Right. I also think that anything related to mindfulness is relative and the results are personal and different to each individual.

This is perhaps because I am a little skeptical about the group exercises because for me, mindfulness is an individual activity. I am an individualist, so perhaps that’s why. I am also not completely convinced that mindfulness can make me cope with my emotions. But I am willing to give it a serious try.

Anyway, the only way to know if something works for you and your individual needs is by trying. The 5-4-3-2-1 method seems to be a variation of the 3-3-3 anxiety method, but at a little more advanced level since it includes all the five senses. This exercise may take longer as well.

It involves identifying the following:

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

According to the following quote, the secret to decrease anxiety is to change the focus of our attention. I suppose this will become easier with practice.

It works because we only have so much attention to give at any moment. If we’re giving our attention to a tree, a flower, a bird, or a picture on our phone, the anxiety is denied that attention, so it automatically decreases. — Aimee Daramus, PsyD

What do you think? Have you tried these two methods to reduce anxiety and stress? Do they work for you?