10 Ways to

Free Yourself from

Anxiety—Starting Today!
Your heart rate increases, your breathing quickens, thoughts of panic dart around your mind…

We’ve all experienced anxiety in some way. For some, it’s a momentary sensation of discomfort. For others, it’s an
ever-present feeling of apprehension and distress.

Anxiety is our body’s natural response to stress; it’s a feeling of fear or worry about what might happen. However,
these feelings can intensify and persist, interfering with the quality of our life and even affecting our health.

Thankfully, there are numerous ways to alleviate anxiety, including meditation, breathwork, yoga, journaling, and
psychotherapy.

The new Hay House Chasing the Present Summit explores all of these methods—plus so much more. Twenty-four
experts share their wisdom on topics like releasing emotional pain, detaching from your ego, embracing your life
purpose, expanding your consciousness, and finding peace with meditation and self-inquiry.

Ready to start healing?

This action plan, inspired by the wisdom of the experts in the summit, provides 10 powerful exercises to ease the
effects of anxiety—starting now. In the pages that follow, you’ll find meditation tips and journaling prompts to help
you find greater clarity and peace in the present moment.

DISCLAIMER: This action plan contains the opinions and ideas of its authors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on
the subjects addressed in the plan. It is with the understanding that the authors and publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health,
or any other kind of professional services in this plan. The reader should consult his or her medical, health, or other competent professional
before adopting any of the suggestions in this plan or drawing inferences from it. The authors and publisher specifically disclaim all
responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and
application of any of the contents of this plan.

ChasingThePresentSummit.com © 2020 Hay House Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

 10 Ways to Free Yourself
from Anxiety—Starting Today!

Meditation Exercises
When we meditate, we become more aware of our thoughts and stories; we learn to observe them, sit with them,
and release them. Consistent practice changes our relationship with our thoughts, which can ease anxiety. Try
these simple practices inspired by the teachings in the Hay House Chasing the Present Summit.

Exercise #1 In order to quiet your mind and cultivate presence, spiritual master Sri Prem Baba offers
this simple exercise. For one minute, close your eyes, focus on the flow of your breath, and observe
your thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. Do this exercise five times per day in
order to begin liberating yourself from suffering.

Exercise #2 In her lesson, Radhi Devlukia-Shetty explores the benefits of conscious living, which
simply means putting your full attention on the activity you’re doing. The goal is to not be distracted
by thoughts of the past or future, or by any type of outside influence, like your phone or a television
program. In the spirit of living consciously, make your next meal a meditation by putting away your
phone and turning off the television. Instead, connect with the food and feel it nourishing all the cells
in your body.

Exercise #3 Most people think of meditation as “sitting in silence,” but sometimes it’s challenging
to find a place that’s completely devoid of sound. Here’s the thing: Meditation’s benefits don’t
come from the silence. You can meditate wherever—no matter how much sound surrounds you. As
meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein says: If you’re somewhere noisy, instead of trying to block out
the sound, make the sound into the object of your awareness, listening and observing as the sounds
arise and pass.

Exercise #4 If you wake up and feel anxious or depressed, try not to resist the feeling or turn it into
a story or a definition of who you are. Instead, as Dharma teacher Josh Korda says, “Find a way to
hold it, breathe with it, relax the shoulders, feel the tightness wherever it is, and just say, okay I hear
you. I’m not running from you. I’m staying with you.” Making this conscious effort to recognize that
these are just thoughts and feelings will help you let them go.

Exercise #5 Sometimes we get caught in a loop of thoughts, running the same patterns over and
over again—which shifts your focus away from the present moment. Vijeth Kumar, a teacher of asana
methodology and yoga philosophy, offers this suggestion for your yoga practice: Practice saying “let”
when you inhale, and “go” when you exhale. This helps you let go of the past and accept that you are
nowhere but the present moment. You can also try this outside of yoga. Simply take some time to
breathe using the “let go” mantra.

Exercise #6 Remaining present during meditation is something many beginning meditators have a
problem with. If this sounds familiar, use this simple yet powerful method from Joseph Goldstein the
next time you sit for meditation. When you find your mind wandering, make a “mental note” of what’s
happening. If you begin to think, say “thinking”; when you hear things, say “hearing.” This technique
helps you keep a connection with whatever is arising.

ChasingThePresentSummit.com © 2020 Hay House Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

 10 Ways to Free Yourself
from Anxiety—Starting Today!

Journaling Exercises
Journaling can help you understand your thoughts and feelings more clearly, release suppressed emotions,
enhance your self-awareness, and help you process difficult experiences—all of which can help relieve feelings of
anxiety. Answer any or all of following questions in your journal.

Exercise #7 James Sebastiano sees anxiety as a teacher. Take some time to consider what your
anxiety may be telling you. Are you off track in one aspect of your life or on the verge of making a
bad decision? Are you focusing too much on external concerns like work and money? Are you letting
thoughts run wild in your mind? Once you have more clarity about the source of your anxiety, it will
be easier to find relief.

Exercise #8 Kino MacGregor emphasizes the value of being observant rather than reactive.
Unfortunately, when faced with a difficult situation, many of us respond reactively, rather than taking
time to observe our thoughts and feelings before we act. What is one area of your life in which you
could be more observant rather than reactive?

Exercise #9 Koya Webb, Rachel Hunter, and Trevor Hall talk about the powerful impact their daily
spiritual practices have on their health and well-being. If you have a daily practice, describe how it benefits
you and what you could do to make it even more nourishing. If you don’t have a daily practice, what are
some things you could do every day to ground yourself and connect you with your spirit?

Exercise #10 Russell Brand stresses the importance of kindness and generosity as a healing balm
for anxiety—particularly if you are privileged. Every day, he asks himself “Have I helped anyone else
today?” Ask yourself, how would committing one simple act of kindness every day impact you and
others? Then take some time to jot down a few ideas for acts of kindness that are within your reach.

Easing anxiety takes time, but these exercises will

help release you from its grip.
The most important thing you can do is accept how you feel. Resisting or denying unwanted feelings won’t make
them go away, but accepting them often helps them subside. When you allow your feelings to come up, you
can see them for what they are—temporary sensations that are not part of your deeper being. You become the
observer of the feeling as opposed to the sufferer of the feeling.

Learn about welcoming and observing your feelings—and other powerful ways to alleviate anxiety—in the Hay
House Chasing the Present Summit, which takes place from July 23–30, 2020.

ChasingThePresentSummit.com © 2020 Hay House Publishing. All Rights Reserved.