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When Anxiety Visits: A Quick Meditation for Anxious Moments
Episode 101 • 3rd May 2026 • Inner Peace Meditations • Steven Webb
00:00:00 00:06:47

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Stevens new course: Finding Peace in Everyday Life (you choose how much to pay)

Description:

Meditation teacher Steven Webb offers a short grounding meditation for those moments when anxiety has already shown up. Rather than trying to push it away, you greet it. You sit with it. You ask it why it came, and you listen, the way you'd listen to a friend who turned up at the door looking pale. It's the practice of meeting an unwelcome feeling with curiosity instead of war.

Who this meditation is for:

  • Anyone with anxiety rising in the middle of a busy day
  • People who have been told to "calm down" or "breathe through it" and found that doesn't reach the actual feeling
  • Listeners who want a quick reset, not a long sit
  • Anyone who has tried suppressing anxiety and found it gets louder

Key benefits:

  • A practical way to meet anxiety with curiosity rather than fight it
  • A short reset you can do anywhere (bus, desk, car park, between meetings)
  • A simple loving kindness close: may I be peaceful, may I be safe, may I trust this moment
  • Pairs with this week's Stillness in the Storms episode on dropping the "I'm fine" armour

If you'd like to contact Steven or support his work, go to https://stevenwebb.uk

Transcripts

Steven Webb:

Hello, I'm Steven Webb, and welcome to Inner Peace Meditations.

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This is a short one, five or six minutes for when anxiety has shown up

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and you need that little space to be able to deal with it before moving on.

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It does pair with this week's stillness in the storm's episode.

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I'm fine.

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The most dangerous lie we will tell, and if that one landed, this is the practice.

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The episode is about dropping the armor.

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This is what you do.

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Once it's done.

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So find a place to sit.

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You can be on a bus, in a carpark at your desk, anywhere will do.

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And if it's safe to let your eyes close or just soften your gaze.

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And just become aware of your breath.

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You don't need to do anything with it.

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Your body knows how to breathe.

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Especially knows how to breathe when you're going through things.

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It's been doing it for a long time without you getting involved.

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And now just notice the weight of you.

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Wherever you are,

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the chair, the seat, the floor, something is holding you up

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and maybe just allow your shoulders to drop just an inch or so.

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Whatever it is in them, you don't have to carry it for these few minutes,

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You have permission to be distracted when your mind wanders, that's fine.

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Just come back

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Now.

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The anxiety, it's there.

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You know it is.

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That's why you press play.

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You don't have to fix it.

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You don't have to push it away.

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Just notice it's here.

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And in your own unique quiet way, just say hello to it hello, anxiety.

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You are here.

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And notice what happens when you greet it instead of fighting it.

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Maybe nothing.

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Maybe a tiny softening.

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Just notice

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and now ask it very gently.

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Why are you here?

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You're not demanding an answer.

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You're just asking like you'd ask a friend who turned up at the door

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looking pale, what's going on?

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What brought you?

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And just listen.

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You don't have to think the answer.

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Sometimes anxiety speaks in a sentence, sometimes in a feeling, sometimes in a

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memory, sometimes it doesn't speak at all.

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It just sits with you.

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That's okay.

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Whatever it offers, just receive it.

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You are not it's enemy.

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You are the one who answered the door.

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Maybe you are the one that is looking out for.

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And just be aware of your breath, breathing in calm, breathing out, relax.

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And if it helps, this may be another question you can ask.

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What would you like for me right now?

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Maybe it just needs to be heard.

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Maybe it needs to know you'll keep going.

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Maybe it needs to sit beside you for a moment longer.

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Maybe it doesn't know.

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There's no wrong answer.

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You are not the anxiety.

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You are the one noticing the anxiety.

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You are the witness, the listener,

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the one who answered the door.

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And maybe just placing your hand on your heart if it feels right,

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and just say these things in your head or just feeling 'em throughout your body.

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May I be peaceful, may I be safe, may I trust this moment.

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And just feeling that throughout your body, what it's like

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to live from that place.

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Now, may I be peaceful?

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May I be safe?

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May I trust this moment

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Notice the room around you, the sounds, the air on your skin.

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Two a slightly deeper breath.

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Wiggle your fingers and toes if you like.

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One, and when you're ready, gently open your eyes and look

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at whatever is in front of you.

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And you can come back to this anytime.

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Just the simple hello and recognizing that you are not the anxiety, you are

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the one that's opening the door to it.

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You are the adult in the room, so to speak.

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It's just a starting move.

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Hi, what are you doing here now?

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And just sit and allow whatever moment to be.

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I'm Steven Webb.

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This meditation, like all of mine, is kept free because of

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the people who support the work.

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If you like to do that, you can find me on StevenWebb.uk.

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Equally, you can send me a message.

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Perhaps I can help in some small way.

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I always read and answer,

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and if you haven't already listened to stillness in the Storms, my companion

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meditation, and if you haven't already, the companion episode is 'I'm fine.

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The most dangerous lie we tell' on stillness in the Storms

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podcast, the link is below.

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Take care of yourself.

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Be kind to yourself.

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Thank you for your support on Insight Timer.

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It's always appreciated.

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And remember, you can come back as often as you like whenever you're feeling a

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little bit anxious or a little bit weary.

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Take care.

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Bye for now.

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