Calming Anxiety
I Just Want to Switch Off — Sunday Anxiety Relief When Everything Feels Too Much
It's a Sunday, and somewhere out there the world is still going on with all of it. The arguing, the headlines, the things that are wrong and the people shouting about the things that are wrong. None of it is going to be solved by you today, from where you are sitting. That is a strange sort of comfort — but sit with it for a second, because it is true, and it is allowed to be a relief.
Today we are not going to fix anything. Today is about letting the world float by, and staying exactly where you are while it does. If you want to keep this feeling with you, Anchored works completely offline — no feed, no notifications, nothing arriving, no red dots, no numbers, nobody wanting anything from you. On a Sunday that matters.
There is no counting in this one, and nothing to get right. Today's breath is soft belly breathing, and the whole point of it is that you cannot do it wrong — one hand low on the belly, no count, no rhythm to hold, letting the breath find its own speed the way water finds its own level. From there we go somewhere: a wide estuary on a warm Sunday afternoon, and every worry that has been pulling at you this week becomes a boat out on the water. You are not on any of them. You are sitting up here, warm, watching them go past. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist Martin Hewlett.
The script
Transcribed from the audio, so the odd word may be off. Tap any line while it plays to keep the words in step with Martin's voice.
It's a Sunday, and somewhere out there the world is still going on with all of it, arguing the headlines, the things that are wrong and the people shouting about the things that are wrong. None of it is going to be solved by you today from where you're sitting. I know that is a strange sort of comfort, but sit with it for a second because it is true and it is allowed to be early. Today we're not going to fix anything. Today is about letting the world float by and staying exactly where you are while it does. This is calming anxiety.
I'm your host Martin, clinical hypnotherapist, and this is your 10 minutes. And before we start, a word about Anchored, my app, because it fits today better than any other day of the week. Anchored works completely offline, no feed, no notifications, nothing arriving. You open it, and there it is. Just the sound, nothing else. No red dots, no numbers, nobody wanting anything from you. On a Sunday, that matters. It's the one of the very few things left on your phone that does not ask anything back. There's a link in the show notes, iOS today, Android tomorrow. Now let your shoulders drop. Maybe they've been somewhere up around your ears since Thursday. Unclench your jaw. Let your tongue rest soft in your mouth. And let your hands be open, palms up if that feels okay. There is nothing to hold for 10 minutes.
Today, there is no counting, nothing to get right. Today, we are doing soft belly breathing.
And the whole point of it is that you cannot do it wrong. So put one hand low on your belly, just below the belly button. And if you like to, breathe in through your nose, and then let it go. Let the hand rise, and now out. However long it takes, no count, no rhythm to hold. Let the breath find its own speed. The way water always finds its own level. And again, in, let the air go low and soft. And then out, and let the belly fall.
And if the breath wants to be shallow for a moment, let it be shallow. If it wants to sigh, let it sigh. You are not managing it. You are simply keeping it company. Two or three more in your own time. Feel your belly right. Feel your belly fall. And with every out breath, allow yourself to relax. And while you breathe, I want to put you somewhere. You are sitting above a wide stretch of water on a warm Sunday afternoon, an estuary or a harbour. Somewhere the water is broad and slow and going out. And out on that water, there are boats, some are moving, some are moored, and just turning gently on their chains. A long way out, one is going somewhere with real purpose, and you will never know where. You are not on any of them. You are sitting up here, warm, watching, and they go past. So let each thing that has been pulling you this week become one of those boats. The news you read and could do nothing about, out there on the water. The argument you did not have, out there, turning slowly.
The thing you are dreading on Tuesday, it is a boat, it is on the water, it is not here on the bank with you. The water carries them, that is what water does, this is not your job.
And now the words, say them with me, out loud or quietly in your thoughts, whichever suits the room that you are in. I let the world go on without me for 10 minutes, and the world manages perfectly well. My body is not a problem to be solved today, it is the place I get to rest. I do not have to carry what I cannot change. There is a quiet in me that no headline has ever reached. I am here, I am home, and this is enough for today. Relax now my friend, truly let yourself trip, and then once more, imagine and repeat. I let the world go on without me for 10 minutes, and the world manages perfectly well.
My body is not a problem to be solved today, it is the place I get to rest.
I do not have to carry what I cannot change. There is a quiet in me, but no headline has ever reached. I am here, I am home, and this is enough for today.
And to stay with you for the week ahead, to keep this sense of balance and harmony, here your three daily caring tips. One, pick one thing today that you are going to worry about, and keep your self permission to worry about it tomorrow instead. The worry will keep, and the Sunday will not. Two, put your phone in another room for one hour this afternoon, not the whole day, just one hour, so your nervous system gets a proper gap in the incoming. Three, go and look at something far away. The end of a street, a tree line, a horizon for two minutes, because long distance focus tells your body it is not under immediate threat. So let's come back gently. Start to let a little movement return, wiggle your fingers and your toes, roll your shoulders round. Let the breath come back up to its ordinary size, and then when you are ready, no rush at all. Let your eyes open and let the room come back in around you. You are safe. You are here. There is nothing to fear right now. The boats are still out there. They'll still be out there tomorrow, and tomorrow you can decide which ones are actually yours, just not today. And if you want to stay in this feeling a little longer, anchored is there, offline, quiet, nothing arriving, the link is in the show notes. Please download and try it. I've built it for these moments, and if you like it, please do give it a review. It's my gift to make the world a kind of place. And if you know someone who has not put it down or we, somebody who is doom scrolling on a Sunday afternoon and calling relaxation, send them this session. Ten minutes might be the kindest thing anybody hands them today. I'll be right here with you again tomorrow. So until then my friend, smile often, positive thoughts when you can, and to your soul, be kind.