Quick anchors for when things are hard. No login required.
Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. It slows your nervous system down.
Look around the room. Really look. Name 5 things — a color, a texture, a shape. It interrupts the spiral.
4 seconds in through your nose, 4 seconds out through your mouth. Repeat until your shoulders drop.
What's the very smallest first step? Not "finish the project" — just "open the file." That's it. One step.
You don't have to do it all. You just have to do it for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, you can stop — but usually you won't want to.
Work alongside someone, even virtually. The presence of another person — even on a video call — can help you start.
It is not lazy. It is not weakness. It is what you need to function. You are allowed to rest before you collapse.
Just survive. That's enough. You don't have to be exceptional today. You just have to get through it.
Name 3 things that went okay this week, no matter how small. You brushed your teeth. You ate something. You made it here.
Stretch, walk, shake it out, roll your shoulders. Movement interrupts the stuck feeling. You don't need a gym. You just need 60 seconds.
Change one thing: light (open a window), sound (put on headphones), temperature (wash your hands in cold water), position (stand up).
Do one tiny thing and count it. Make your bed. Put one dish in the sink. Send one message. The smallest win is still a win.