Urge surfing
Urges rise, peak and fall like waves. Practise watching one pass without acting on it.
Notice an urge you have right now: to leave, check your phone, avoid something, or anything else. You don't have to get rid of it. Keep your eyes open if you prefer, resting your gaze on one spot.
You can stop at any time. If this feels uncomfortable, press Finish, open your eyes and look around the room. You can switch to grounding, or get support now.
- Name the urge (45 sec)
Say to yourself what the urge is. "I'm having the urge to…" Notice how strong it is right now.
- Find it in your body (1 min)
Where do you feel the urge? Your chest, stomach, hands, jaw? Notice what it feels like: tight, buzzing, heavy, restless.
- Ride the wave (1.5 min)
Breathe slowly and imagine the urge as a wave. Let it rise. You don't have to fight it or follow it. Just stay on top of it, breath by breath.
- Notice the change (45 sec)
Check in with the urge again. Has it changed in strength or where you feel it? Urges usually pass, even when it doesn't feel like they will.
Well done for taking this time
This copy of the practice works without a connection, so nothing is saved to your account. Open SteadySelf when you're back online to record how you felt.