thinking maybe it is something magical…

In a way it is! I have spent over 25 years focusing on how to calm an anxiety attack and I am also a numbers geek!

My daughter and I text screenshots of our phones with 3-3-3, 5-5-5, etc. And don’t even get me started on palindromes (when numbers read the same backward and forward – 2332, etc.

While I love all these quirky things with numbers, somehow the number 3 has always had a special place in my heart. I recently learned why!

I knew there was something really special about the number 3: think about it, we have

• 3 prime numbers

• 3 primary colors

• 3 wishes

• the 3 bears and

• the 3 little pigs.

But when we look all the way back to ancient Greece, the philosopher Pythagorus considered it the perfect number – representing

• Harmony

• Wisdom

• Understanding

Ah! Now I understand why I have always been drawn to the number 3!

That’s all great, but how does the 3-3-3 rule help calm an anxiety attack?

How to practice the 3-3-3 Rule for Anxiety:

• Think of (and name) 3 things you can see (do it now!)

• Think of (and name) 3 things you can hear (again, do it now)

• Move your body 3 ways

  • place your hand on your heart

  • move your head from left to right

  • tap your feet on the ground

  • whatever way feels best for you and is appropriate for the space you are in

Like all the tips and techniques I share, the 3-3-3 Rule for Anxiety is not a “one and done.” You need to practice it again and again to have it become a new natural habit.

Make sure you practice it a LOT and do it even when you are feeling calm, so that you know how to reduce anxiety immediately,and this comes naturally to you, like second nature.

When I first met my husband, he had a small sailboat. I knew nothing about sailing, but if you get in the boat and just raise the sail, you might get to your desired destination. However, if you continually adjust the sail to go with the wind, you have a greater chance of getting where you want to!

The more you practice this simple way to calm anxiety, the more likely you will get to your desired destination: feeling calmer and more balanced!

If you have trouble sleeping, this is a powerful strategy for how to calm an anxiety attack at night.

You can find more of these simple strategies for anxiety relief on my Insight Timer page (the #1 meditation app), where I share recorded meditations and free weekly live classes.

You can also find 35 of these simple ways to calm an anxiety attack in my book “Goodbye Anxiety, Hello Freedom.”