Three exercises to calm

Anxiety. If you’ve experienced it, you know just how overwhelming and unpleasant it can be. When anxiety rears its ugly head, you need relief—and you need it fast. Sure, there are medications or distractions that might help in the moment, but what about trying these healthy, effective methods to calm your mind and bring you back to center?

Here are three basic meditations that you can do in the moment that really work.

Start with Deep Belly Breathing

For all three exercises, the starting point is taking deep breaths (breathtaking! 😉 It may sound simple, but before we even start with the mind, we approach the body. Mindful breathing is one of the most powerful tools for easing anxiety. When you focus on your breath, it anchors you to the present moment and helps quiet the mental chaos.

How to do it: Inhale deeply for four counts, hold your breath for four counts, and exhale slowly for six counts. Repeat this cycle a few times. Aim to breathe deeply into your belly, feeling it expand with each in-breath.

Breathing grounds you to the here and now, giving your mind a focal point. This practice isn’t just modern mindfulness; it has roots in Torah as well. The Hebrew word for breath, neshama, shares its root with the word for soul. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook taught that focusing on your breath connects you with your inner spirit, reminding you that your essence is calm and whole.

1. Cloud Exercise

This guided imagery practice first allows you to calm the body and mind. Then the next step is designed to gently allow your feelings to surface… in a safe way with curiosity and without judgment.

Imagine yourself looking up at a sky filled with beautiful clouds, watching each cloud pass by. Each cloud represents a worry, problem, or difficult feeling in your life. Notice that they are passing by, symbolizing how temporary our challenges truly are.

If you feel ready, choose one cloud and gently examine it. Allow yourself to feel the associated emotion without pushing it away. You might let it pass, or explore it more deeply. Ask yourself: “Is there a gift or lesson in this challenge? Something positive I can gain from this problem?”

2. Turn Your Worry Into a Prayer

Once you’ve calmed your body with breathing and entered a more relaxed space, allow yourself to gently explore what’s on your mind. Is it about something uncomfortable from yesterday? A worry about a child? A fight you had with your husband? Stress at work?

Allow the feeling to surface, and then gently send up a silent prayer: “Please let my boss be kind to me today.” “Please give me wisdom to navigate this relationship.”

This practice transforms anxiety into connection, shifting your mindset from helplessness to trust.

3. My Thoughts Affect My Feelings

This may sound overly simple, but its power becomes clear only when you try it in real time—when you’re anxious, nervous, embarrassed, fearful, or feeling inadequate. In these moments, silently repeat to yourself many times: “My thoughts affect my feelings.”

Why does this work? It’s based on the deep truth that our emotional state is shaped by how we interpret and think about events—without needing to challenge the thoughts directly. This gentle awareness begins to shift the emotional experience.

Some More Useful Habits

Morning Check-In: Before turning on your phone, notice how your chest and shoulders feel. What’s on your mind? Gently explore with curiosity and take a few deep breaths.

Periodic Check-Ins: Throughout the day, pause to relax your shoulders, ask yourself what’s bothering you, and take three deep breaths.

Practice Smiling: Life throws challenges, but a simple smile can help shift your mindset. You’ve got this!

Finding Calm in the Storm

Anxiety can feel like a storm, but these exercises act as your anchor—keeping you steady until the storm passes and giving you something tangible to process the emotions that anxiety often suppresses.

Whether you’re breathing deeply, transforming worry into prayer, recognizing the effect thoughts have on your feelings, or gently exploring suppressed emotions—you’re not just managing anxiety. You’re reclaiming your inner calm.

And remember, like King David, you’re never truly alone in your struggles. Your soul, connected to God, holds a quiet strength waiting for you to tap into.