Exercises To Calm Your Anxious Thoughts

Anxiety can feel like a racing mind you can’t shut off—looping thoughts, worst-case scenarios, or the constant fear of being “too much” or not enough.

If you grew up in a home where your emotional needs weren’t met—or worse, were dismissed—your anxiety may have become a form of hypervigilance. Your brain learned to stay on guard. But now? That overactive survival response may be stealing your peace.

Here are 5 therapist-recommended exercises you can use any time anxious thoughts start to take over:

1. The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

Use your senses to anchor to the present:

5 things you see

4 things you can touch

3 things you hear

2 things you smell

1 thing you taste

This helps interrupt spiraling thoughts by bringing your brain back to now.

2. Box Breathing

Inhale for 4 counts → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 4 → Hold for 4

Repeat for 1–3 minutes.

This calms the nervous system and helps slow racing thoughts.

3. Thought Labeling

Name what’s happening with a neutral tone:

“This is an anxious thought.”

“This is worry about something I cannot control.”

Labeling helps you notice the thought without believing it’s the full truth.

4. Body Pressure Reset

Apply light pressure to your body—hug a pillow, place a hand over your heart, or hold your own arm. This signals safety to the brain and gently reminds your system: I’m okay in this moment.

5. Write a 2-Minute Brain Dump

Grab paper and let your anxious thoughts pour out, unfiltered. No editing. No analyzing. Just empty your head. This helps reduce mental clutter and create emotional distance from fear-based thinking. You can also do this verbally, out loud— like in your car— where no one else can hear you and you can speak freely.

Final Thought: You’re Not Broken—You’ve Just Gotten Really Good at Protecting Yourself

Anxious thoughts are often your brain’s attempt to keep you safe. But you don’t have to obey every alarm. You can learn to respond with curiosity instead of fear, and you can rewire your brain to set the alarm off less frequently.

Want Support Beyond Quick Fixes?

If anxiety is running your day (or your life), therapy can help you slow down, untangle the emotional roots, and build tools that last. I work with young adults who are ready to heal from invisible wounds and show up for themselves fully—without apology.

I offer weekday daytime sessions for clients who need space to breathe during the day, not just after hours.