The Daily Practice That’s Eases My Anxiety
The Daily Practice That Eases My Anxiety (and Helps Me Feel Like Myself Again)
Let’s talk about something real for a minute — anxiety.
Not the “I’m a little nervous before a big meeting” kind, but the slow, constant buzz that hums in the background of your days. The kind that makes your chest tight before you even get out of bed.
I’ve been there. I’ve woken up with my heart racing before my feet even hit the floor. I’ve felt that quiet dread that lingers even when everything around me looks fine. And like so many women, I brushed it off for a long time — until I realized anxiety wasn’t just “in my head.”
It was living in my body.
In my breathing, my digestion, my hormones, my sleep, and even my skin.
The truth is: you can’t always control what causes anxiety — but you can change how your body responds to it.
And for me, that shift came from building a few small, intentional daily practices that taught my body how to find calm again.
Today, I’m sharing the routine that changed everything — a simple, realistic daily practice that eases my anxiety and helps me feel grounded, focused, and like myself again.
When Anxiety Becomes Your Default Setting
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance your nervous system has also been living on high alert.
You might notice it as…
Tight shoulders or jaw
Shallow breathing
Racing thoughts
Cravings for sugar or caffeine
Constant fatigue (even after a full night’s sleep)
That’s your body’s stress response — your fight-or-flight system — stuck in overdrive.
And here’s the thing: you can’t “think” your way out of that. You have to train your body to feel safe again.
The nervous system can be rewired. It’s adaptable.
And the way we do that is through repetition and gentle daily regulation — small moments of calm that teach your body it’s okay to relax.
This daily practice isn’t about perfection or long routines. It’s about consistency.
It’s five small habits that work together to reset your mind and body, one day at a time.
1. Journaling to Release and Reframe
Every morning, before I check my phone or start the day, I open my notebook and write three quick things:
One thing I’m grateful for.
One thing I’m letting go of.
One thing I want to feel today.
That’s it. It takes less than five minutes but changes how I show up for the day.
Journaling helps me take anxious thoughts — which usually swirl around in circles — and put them somewhere safe. When they’re on paper, they’re out of my head and no longer in control.
And gratitude? That’s the grounding part. Gratitude doesn’t erase anxiety, but it anchors you in what’s real and good right now.
Science moment:
Research shows that journaling helps calm the amygdala (the fear center in your brain) and activates your prefrontal cortex — the part responsible for rational thought and emotional regulation.
In simple terms, journaling helps your brain shift out of panic mode and into clarity.
💡 Try this: Keep your notebook and pen by your coffee machine or nightstand — somewhere you’ll actually see it every day. No rules, no structure, just write.
2. Meditation to Calm the Noise
The next piece of my routine is meditation — and no, it’s not sitting perfectly still on a mountaintop with an empty mind.
For me, meditation means training my brain to notice when I’ve wandered — and gently bringing myself back. It’s five or ten minutes of quiet where I simply focus on breathing and being present.
At first, I resisted it. My thoughts were loud, my body was restless, and I felt like I was “failing” at meditation.
But here’s what I learned:
You can’t fail at being present.
Meditation isn’t about getting rid of thoughts — it’s about noticing them without reacting. Over time, it teaches your body to stay calm, even when life isn’t.
Science moment:
Meditation lowers cortisol (your stress hormone), slows heart rate, and increases gray matter in the parts of the brain linked to emotional control.
In other words, you’re literally retraining your stress response.
💡 Start small:
Try 5 minutes in the morning before opening your phone.
Use a guided app like Calm or Insight Timer if you need structure.
Or just focus on your breath and a single word or intention.
You’ll be amazed at how even a few minutes a day can change the tone of your entire morning.
3. Movement That Feels Good (Not Forced)
When anxiety hits, movement is medicine.
But the goal isn’t to “burn off” anxiety — it’s to move in a way that helps your body process it.
Some days that means a run, but most days it’s a walk, yoga flow, or strength session that lets me connect with my breath and body.
Movement helps release stored tension (because anxiety lives in your muscles) and boosts endorphins that naturally improve mood.
But there’s a fine line: too much high-intensity training can raise cortisol.
So I focus on what feels good — not what looks hardcore.
Try this:
20–30 minutes of walking outdoors
A slow yoga flow or Pilates session
Strength training 3–4 days a week, but with recovery in between
If your workouts are leaving you more anxious than relaxed, it’s a sign your nervous system needs more calm, not more intensity.
💡 Pro tip: Pair your workouts with a calming playlist or stretch session afterward — signal your body that the stress phase is over.
4. Breathwork to Reset in Real Time
This one is my “anytime, anywhere” tool.
When anxiety spikes — during work, errands, or when my thoughts start spiraling — I go straight to my breath.
Here’s the trick I use daily:
The 4-4-6 Breath:
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
Hold for 4 counts.
Exhale slowly for 6 counts.
Repeat 3–5 times.
This simple rhythm tells your body you’re safe. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system — the part responsible for rest and relaxation.
Why it works:
When you control your breath, you control your body’s chemistry. Slow breathing signals to your heart rate, hormones, and brain that it’s time to calm down.
You can do it in line at the grocery store, in traffic, or even between meetings. No one has to know — but your body will.
5. Mindful Moments That Keep Me Grounded
This might be my favorite part of all.
Throughout the day, I intentionally look for small ways to be present.
It can be as simple as:
Stepping outside and feeling the sunlight
Drinking water slowly instead of chugging it while multitasking
Eating lunch without scrolling
Taking a five-minute walk without headphones
These moments remind me that my life isn’t just made up of to-do lists — it’s made up of moments of awareness.
When you start noticing what’s around you, even briefly, your mind starts slowing down. You reconnect with your body. And that awareness slowly rewires your default state from chaos to calm.
The more your body practices calm, the easier it becomes to return there — even on stressful days.
What’s Changed Since I Started
After doing these small things consistently — journaling, meditation, movement, breathing, and mindfulness — my anxiety didn’t vanish overnight… but it transformed.
My mornings feel steadier.
My thoughts feel quieter.
My body feels lighter.
And when stress does hit, I recover faster.
These daily practices taught me that calm isn’t a personality trait — it’s a skill.
You build it slowly, one small practice at a time.
You don’t need hours. You don’t need perfection.
You just need presence.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety isn’t something you fix — it’s something you learn to work with.
It’s your body asking for regulation, rhythm, and rest.
And when you give it that — even for a few minutes a day — you’re telling your body, “We’re safe now.”
So, I'd like you to start small.
Pick one of these daily practices and make it part of your rhythm.
Because the more consistent you are, the more your body will learn that calm isn’t the exception — it’s your new normal.
💚 You don’t need to do everything at once. You just need to start showing your body what peace feels like — every single day.
