About this practice
Research shows that just a few minutes of daily mindfulness practice can noticeably reduce stress and strengthen psychological resilience. One powerful exercise used in mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you reconnect with reality when emotions feel overwhelming. This method is effective because it doesn’t ask you to fight your feelings, but to meet them with awareness and stay present.
This exercise focuses on consciously accepting your inner experience, restoring connection with your body, and becoming more aware of the world around you. It consists of three stages, each designed to strengthen your stability during moments of emotional difficulty.
Instructions
1. Acknowledge your inner experience.
Begin by noticing and accepting your current thoughts, feelings, and memories without judgment. The goal is to stop resisting your inner experience and simply make room for it. You can say to yourself phrases like “Here is sadness” or “I notice anxiety.” Recognizing what is happening within you creates space for awareness and often reduces the intensity of what you feel.
2. Come back to your body.
When emotions or thoughts take over, it can feel as if you’ve lost control. This step helps you regain stability by focusing on physical sensations and actions. Stretch, stand up, sit upright, or feel your feet on the ground — these small physical anchors remind you that you are here, in the present moment, and capable of influencing your state.
3. Reconnect with the world around you.
Now gently shift your attention to the external environment. Notice what you can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. You’re not doing this to distract yourself from difficult emotions, but to remember that there is more to your experience than what’s happening inside. This helps you gain perspective and reconnect with the fullness of the present moment.
The purpose of this exercise is to regain a sense of control through mindful acceptance and observation of your experience — connecting both with yourself and with the world around you.
