Sometimes you may feel like something bad is going to happen, it may be a thought that pops into your mind or it may be a horrible feeling in the pit of your tummy, to me it feels like angry butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, this feeling is called anxiety. Anxiety can cause you to feel afraid, nervous or even angry.

Sometimes the world can be a frightening place, maybe you are worried about something that might happen or maybe something sad has already happened. It’s really important that you talk your feelings through with somebody that genuinely cares about you. This may help you to feel better.

Fear and anxiety are normal emotions but if you ever feel those ‘angry butterflies’ flapping around in the bottom of your tummy, here are a few tasks which may help you to feel a bit better.

1. Concentrating on Your Breathing

Concentrating on your breathing can help you to feel calmer.

Try this:

Rest your hands on your tummy.
Close your eyes
Breathe in through your nose and count to 4…
Breathe out through your mouth and count to 5…

Try this 5 times.

2.Breathing and Visualisation

Visualisation is just a fancy word for picturing something in your mind.

Try this:

Rest your hands on your tummy.
Close your eyes
Take in a deep breath and as you breathe-in imagine you are breathing in strength. Imagine it is a lovely bright blue colour.
As you breathe out, imagine you are breathing out fear or nervousness. PUSH IT OUT! BLOW IT OUT! BLOW IT FAR AWAY FROM YOU. Imagine the fear as a red colour.

Try this 5 times

3.The Senses Game

(5…4…3…2…1…)

This quick game is to help you to stay in the moment. Sometimes thoughts that make you sad or anxious can keep popping into your head, this game can help you to concentrate on what is happening now instead of worrying about the past or the future.

Try this:

Look around the room and name:

5 (blue) things that you can see (you can change the colour if you like)

4 things that you can hear

3 things that you can smell

2 things that you can touch

1 thing that you can taste

You will be okay xxx Love Dionne B. xxx