Have you ever had a thought or a worry that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard you tried to ignore it? Let’s try an experiment. Paying deliberate attention to the world around us can help calm the troubling thoughts and emotions that come with depression. One of the ways you can do this is by focusing on your breathing. Your breathing is always with you, making it the perfect anchor when you need to break a chain of negative thinking. Next time you find yourself in a spiral of negative thoughts, try this three-minute breathing exercise.
Exercise
Right now, take a moment to sit back, relax and don’t think of a purple elephant. The purple elephant is an unhelpful thought or feeling, and the more you try not to think about it, the more space it’ll take up in your mind.
Three minutes of mindful breathing can be enough to put the necessary break in the chain and bring you back to the present moment. After you’ve read the instructions set a timer for three minutes and close your eyes
- Sit up straight or stand comfortably.
- Now, bring your awareness to your body: What thoughts are going through your mind? What feelings are here? What about body sensations?
- Next, redirect your attention to your breathing :feel your belly move in and out, feel your breath move through your nose
- Last, expand your attention to your breathing and your body:notice the pressure of your feet on the floorlook out for tension in your muscles, an dbreathe in and out deeply
Your attention will wander as you try this. When you notice it has, gently bring it back to your breathing.
Final thought
Keeping this habit up when you feel anxious (or just after) can help you to see how your thoughts, feelings and behaviour all influence each other. This awareness empowers you to manage how you feel by changing the one or two things you have control over.
Exercise
Right now, take a moment to sit back, relax and don’t think of a purple elephant. The purple elephant is an unhelpful thought or feeling, and the more you try not to think about it, the more space it’ll take up in your mind.
Three minutes of mindful breathing can be enough to put the necessary break in the chain and bring you back to the present moment. After you’ve read the instructions set a timer for three minutes and close your eyes
- Sit up straight or stand comfortably.
- Now, bring your awareness to your body: What thoughts are going through your mind? What feelings are here? What about body sensations?
- Next, redirect your attention to your breathing :feel your belly move in and out, feel your breath move through your nose
- Last, expand your attention to your breathing and your body:notice the pressure of your feet on the floorlook out for tension in your muscles, an dbreathe in and out deeply
Your attention will wander as you try this. When you notice it has, gently bring it back to your breathing.
Final thought
Keeping this habit up when you feel anxious (or just after) can help you to see how your thoughts, feelings and behaviour all influence each other. This awareness empowers you to manage how you feel by changing the one or two things you have control over.
