# Daily Mindfulness: 5-Minute Meditations for Stress Relief

Hey there, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. You know, early December has this weird energy, doesn't it? The year's winding down, the pressure's building up, and somehow everything feels both urgent and completely overwhelming at the same time. If you're feeling that particular flavor of stress today, you're not alone. And honestly, that's exactly why we're here together right now.

So take a breath with me. Not a big, dramatic one. Just a normal, easy breath. Feel your body settling into whatever space you're in. Maybe you're on your couch, maybe you're squeezing this in between meetings. Wherever you are, that's exactly right.

Let's start by grounding ourselves. Take another breath in through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for just a beat. Now exhale slowly through your mouth, like you're gently fogging up a mirror. Feel that? That's your nervous system already saying thank you. Do that three times on your own. Nice and easy.

Now here's what we're going to do. I'm going to guide you through what I call the Anchor and Release. It's my favorite trick for when stress is pulling you in seventeen directions at once.

Start by bringing your attention to your feet. Really notice them. The weight, the texture, how they're touching the ground or your chair. Your feet are your anchor. They're literally keeping you grounded in this moment, right now, when everything else feels chaotic. As you breathe in, imagine drawing calm up from the earth through your feet. As you exhale, imagine all that tension, all that December pressure, draining right back down into the ground. The earth can handle it. That's kind of its job.

Now move that awareness up to your shoulders. Notice where you're holding tension. We all do it. Your shoulders are probably somewhere near your ears, aren't they? That's okay. Breathe in, and as you exhale, let them drop. Just drop them. Feel them soften. Your shoulders don't need to carry the weight of the world. Release it.

One more time. Full body this time. Breathing in calm, breathing out whatever's not serving you right now. You've got this.

Here's your takeaway for today. Whenever you feel stress creeping back in over the next few hours, pause for just ten seconds and remember your feet. Feel them on the ground. You're anchored. You're here. You're okay.

Thank you so much for spending these five minutes with me on Daily Mindfulness: 5-Minute Meditations for Stress Relief. Please subscribe so you never miss a practice. You've got this.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI