We all want to feel more present, but when your brain’s darting from one thought to another like it’s had five coffees, that’s easier said than done.
It’s not about achieving perfect stillness or mastering some zen state. It’s about finding real, useful ways to ground yourself when your mind is busy spiralling. These aren’t magic fixes, but they’re simple and straightforward changes that can help you come back to yourself when your thoughts are making everything feel way more complicated than it needs to be.
1. Say what you’re doing out loud (yes, really).
When your thoughts start speeding up, try narrating something simple out loud—“I’m making tea,” “I’m putting on my shoes,” “I’m locking the front door.” It sounds basic, but it forces your attention back into your body. You’re reminding yourself that you’re here, doing this, right now. It breaks the mental loop and gives you a foothold in the present moment without needing anything fancy.
2. Stop fighting the racing thoughts and start noticing them.
The harder you try to force your brain to stop, the more chaotic it gets. Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, try stepping back and noticing them, like cars passing on a road. Label them: “future worry,” “random memory,” “to-do list.” It takes the heat out of them. You’re not chasing the thought—you’re just naming what showed up. That small shift helps you stop feeling like you have to fix or follow every mental notification that pops up.
3. Do one thing with your hands.
Your brain can’t be everywhere at once if your hands are focused on one thing. Fold laundry, stir soup, wash your face, organise a drawer—anything physical that gives your thoughts somewhere to land. It’s not about being productive. It’s about anchoring your body to the here and now. Small, repetitive actions work like a grounding rope when your mind is pulling in ten directions.
4. Shrink your focus to one corner of your environment.
When you feel scattered, zoom in. Pick one thing near you—a lamp, your phone charger, the chipped mug on your desk—and focus on its details. What’s the texture? What’s the colour? Has it always looked like that? Paying attention to one ordinary thing grounds you fast. It cuts through the mental clutter and reminds you the world is still happening, right here, not just in your head.
5. Catch the “what if” spiral before it grows.
Once your thoughts start with “what if,” they tend to take off. “What if I mess this up?” becomes “What if everything falls apart?” Catch that first step and gently interrupt it with something like, “Okay, but what’s actually happening right now?” It’s not about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about staying with reality instead of running five disasters ahead. Interrupting the spiral early keeps it from becoming a whole production.
6. Let your breath do more than just keep you alive.
Breath gets overlooked because it’s always there, but it’s one of the quickest tools to change your state. Slow it down. Try exhaling longer than you inhale, like a quiet signal to your nervous system that it’s safe to settle. You don’t need to sit cross-legged or count to ten. Just a few slow, full breaths can create enough space between your thoughts to feel more like yourself again.
7. Move your body in any direction.
Racing thoughts usually come with physical tension. Even if you don’t feel wired, your shoulders are probably tight, your jaw clenched. Moving your body, even just a stretch or a shake, lets some of that mental tension leave your muscles. It’s not about exercise; it’s about reminding your body that it’s not stuck. That movement often helps your brain unstick itself too.
8. Use the “what’s in my control” question.
When your mind is full of everything that could go wrong, try asking: “What part of this is in my control today?” The answer might be small, but even a tiny action can stop you from spiralling into helplessness. You don’t have to solve the whole thing. Just shift the focus from the overwhelming big picture to something you can do. That’s where presence starts—one decision at a time.
9. Play the “five things” game.
It’s simple but surprisingly effective. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste or imagine tasting. It brings your senses online and gives your brain a job it can finish. When your thoughts are running wild, giving your mind a clear, structured task helps cut through the chaos without trying to silence it completely.
10. Choose a grounding phrase to keep in your pocket.
Something short and calming you can repeat to yourself. Like “One thing at a time,” or “This moment is enough.” When your brain goes off-roading, these little mantras pull you back without needing to explain anything. Keep it simple. Keep it true. You’re not trying to trick your mind; you’re giving it something solid to come back to when things feel messy.
11. Let boredom be part of the process.
Trying to stay present doesn’t always feel peaceful—it can feel boring. When your brain’s used to racing, slowing down feels weird, even wrong. However, that’s often a sign that you’re shifting into a calmer gear. Don’t fill every pause. Let yourself sit in the stillness, even if it’s awkward. That’s where the clarity lives. The brain will catch up once it realises nothing’s chasing it anymore.
12. Accept that your brain will keep racing sometimes, and that’s okay.
You don’t have to win the battle against your thoughts. Staying present isn’t about silencing your mind forever. It’s about showing up anyway, even with the noise. Some days your thoughts will race no matter what. But even on those days, you can still find small ways to ground yourself. You don’t need perfect stillness to be present. You just need a way back to yourself, and that can be enough.
