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The RAIN Approach for Anxiety

 

The first step is to simply Recognize (R) what is going on inside you—the circling of anxious thoughts and guilty feelings. 

 

The second step is to Allow (A) what is happening by breathing and letting be. Even though you might not like what you are feeling, allow your intention not to fix or change anything and, just as important, not to judge yourself for feeling anxious or guilty. 

Allowing makes it possible to collect and deepen attention before starting the third step.

 

The third step is to Investigate (I) what felt most difficult. Now, with interest, direct your attention to the feelings of anxiety in your body— examples are physical tightness, pulling and pressure around the heart. Ask the anxious part of you what it is believing, and the answer might be deeply familiar.

 

An example might be "I am going to fail".

If I didn’t have every teaching and story fleshed out in advance, I’d do a bad job and let people down. You might also become conscious of these pulls of guilt and fear. Continue to investigate, contacting that torn, anxious part of yourself.

Ask “What do you most need right now?”

Care? Reassurance? Trust?

 

The fourth step of RAIN, Nurture (N), send a gentle message inward, directly to that anxious part: “It’s okay, sweetheart. You’ll be all right; we’ve been through this so many times before…trying to come through on all fronts.”

You will feel a warm, comforting energy spreading through your body. Then there will be a distinct shift: heart softening a bit, shoulders relaxing, and mind feeling more clear and open. 

  

The Benefits of RAIN

Pausing for RAIN enables you to reengage with the clarity and openheartedness.

Your anxiety might not go away completely, but something fundamental will change. There’s more choice.