Thoughts run and run in circles like a squirrel in a wheel. And sometimes we ourselves don’t even notice how we find ourselves completely in the grip of mental “chewing gum,” anxiety and restlessness. Every day in this mode can be significantly exhausting - a constant influx of thoughts makes it difficult to fall asleep, since the brain is excited in a state of anxiety, life resources and productivity tend to zero. Problems at work and in interpersonal communication are just around the corner. Sound familiar? To work with obsessive thoughts, and simply to prevent anxiety, I suggest my clients do the “Running from Oneself” exercise. Using this technique, you can learn to control your obsessive thoughts, gradually let them go and, as a result, significantly reduce the level of anxiety and restlessness. So, it is better to perform the exercise while sitting (you can also lie down) in silence. Arms and legs should not be crossed, the back is straight, feels the support of the back of the chair, hands rest quietly on the knees, eyes are closed, breathing is slow and even. You just sit and do nothing. Your thoughts come and go smoothly. There is no need to hold them, or think about them, or spin them, or push them away, or displace them - just observe, this is important! Your main task is to try not to think. But if some thought comes, well, just note this fact and let go of the thought, don’t cling to it with your consciousness. Thoughts can appear in a variety of ways. For example, “I hear it raining outside the window,” “the neighbor’s dog is whining,” “my leg is itching”—these are also thoughts. With similar thoughts, the algorithm of work is the same - as soon as the thought comes, mark it and let it go. If physical reactions occur while performing the technique (twitching, tingling, etc.), then you need to open your eyes, shake yourself and continue doing the exercise. At some moments, you will begin to notice that periods of time seem to disappear from consciousness - and this is good. The exercise is performed until it becomes easy to immerse yourself in a state of peace and comfort and the ability to stay in it for at least 30 minutes without any difficulties and reactions. It's better to start with 10-15 minutes. Do the exercise 2 times a day for 15 minutes at first, then gradually increase the duration. Have a resourceful state and light thoughts!