Keep your cool with this 1 minute meditation technique

We often refer to certain emotions as “difficult”, with anger and fear at the top of the list. The problem is, the harder we try to not let these feelings get to us, the more intensely they do. By practising mindfulness, you can not only improve your handling of negative emotions and reduce stress, but be more present for the good feelings as well. These two short meditations can be done anywhere and will help you turn those intense times into more manageable moments.

To soothe anger

Focus on the sensations of anger in your body. Once you’ve taken a few seconds to cool down, go a step further. Imagine you’re a Martian who’s new to earth. You’re experiencing anger for the first time. Ask yourself: ‘What is this thing that’s happening?’, ‘Where do I feel it in my body?’, ‘What am I thinking about?’ Considering this external point of view helps you bring objectivity and calm to the situation and prevent angry outbursts you might regret later.

To ease your fears

When your mind starts running through the things that might go wrong, notice how the sensations in your body – a racing heart, quicker breathing – feel similar to those of excitement. Then kindly acknowledge the fear by using your name: ‘Sarah, you’re feeling fear.’ Using your name is a powerful way to create distance between yourself and the emotion, halting your inner monologue. In fact, a Journal of Personality and Social Psychology study found that when participants used their own name instead of ‘I’ when approaching nerve-racking situations such as speaking in public, they experienced less stress and anxiety.