Mindfulness can help you tame fears and worries

When fear and worry derail your day, the goal is to center your mind and anchor yourself in the present moment. Mindfulness techniques can help you do exactly that. Here are a few worth trying:

Deep breathing

Breathing comes so naturally that we hardly think about it - in fact, you breathe about 20,000 times a day without conscious effort. Anxiety, though, makes your breathing speed up. Deliberately slowing your breaths gives you greater control over your mental state. The breath has powerfully calming effects on your brain and the rest of your nervous system, and there are several breathing techniques you might try.

Diaphragmatic, or belly breathing

Start by sitting comfortably or lying on your back.

Rest one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly.

Relax your belly muscles.

Draw breath in slowly through your nose until you feel your belly begin to rise.

Let the breath out slowly through slightly pursed lips and feel your belly fall.

Repeat.

Box breathing

Breathe out while counting to four.

Hold your breath while counting to four.

Breathe in while counting to four.

Hold your breath while counting to four.

Repeat.

Begin with just a minute or two of deep breathing and lengthen your sessions from there. Work toward at least 10 minutes of deep breathing daily. In each session, focus on noticing the sensation of your breath moving in and out, and observe what happens in your body as you concentrate on it.

Meditation

Meditation builds on deep breathing by pairing it with mental focus. Research finds mindfulness meditation useful not only for easing anxiety symptoms but also for strengthening our ability to handle the stressors life throws at us.

Set aside a few minutes each day to meditate. Sit somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Breathe deeply in and out while settling your mind. You might repeat a sound, word, or phrase such as "life is good" or "om." When your mind wanders, as it inevitably will, gently guide it back to the present. Picture intrusive thoughts as clouds: acknowledge them, then let them drift away.

Mindfulness sounds easy, but that apparent simplicity can be misleading. Quieting a racing mind takes effort, and it may take time and repeated attempts before it comes naturally.

To get started, schedule a daily mindfulness practice - put it on your calendar. Aim for only two to five minutes on your first day. As the practice grows more comfortable, extend your sessions. A good target is 10 to 20 minutes a day.