Mind racing?  Running through your To-Do list? Feeling frazzled and distracted? Are you noticing yourself panicking or beginning to dissociate?  If this happens.  One of the easiest tools to resource is the naming practice. 

So what is this thing called “Naming” you ask?  It’s actually pretty simple and can be done anywhere at any time.  I find that the first few times you do this or the more anxious you are it is better to do it aloud but you can also do it silently in your head if you’re in a crowded place. 

Stop what you’re doing and look around the room.  What do you see?  Start calling out what you see, naming the items. For example the picture below is of my office.

I see a:

1. Blue couch
2. Coffee table
3. Mint pillow
4. Pink painting
5. End table
6. Grey lamp
7. Tissue box
8. blue door
9. light swith
10. silver clock

Now you look around the room you are in and start calling out what you see.  Even call out the details like the light switches, lights, floor, etc.…

Did you feel a subtle shift happening in your brain?  You couldn’t name the items in your surroundings and still think about your to-do list.  Your brain can really only focus on one thing at time.  The more detailed you are the more brain power and concertation it takes which allows you to stop thinking and focus on what is in you immediate environment.  

When your mind is racing, thoughts are swirling, and your feeling overwhelmed/anxious go ahead and try this naming exercise.  It will work.  My clients who have practiced this exercise say it has been very helpful and I know that I have also practiced this when I was feeling overwhelmed and it pulled me right out of my head and back into what is real and now.