Relaxed Breathing

Breathing seems simple.  However, one of the main components of taking back control of stress involves mind-body awareness.  Children and adults who are struggling with anxiety and emotional regulation are often challenged to connect to their stress they are holding to their body.  Deep, relaxed belly breaths are a great way to ground one's self, to find more mastery over stress levels and to listen to one's body.
Four count breathing is a sure way to bring anxiety level from a 10/10 on the stress scale down quite a few levels. Considered meditative, it focuses the mind on what the body is sensing, thus distracting from the stressor that causes it.  Practice this often, putting one's hands on your belly and breath in for four counts through the nose, out for fours counts through the mouth, and then hold at the bottom for four counts.  Start this for 10 cycles and work up to a few minutes a day.  It is worth it!