Imagine you are in a boat and out to sea when wild stormy weather arises. The first thing you would likely do is drop your anchor so that you and your boat remain steady and the storm does not sweep you away. This exercise, called Dropping Anchor, is a way for you to hold steady during an emotional storm. An emotional storm is when you are in the throes of one or more strong, challenging emotions, such as anger, panic, or sadness. To drop an anchor in this sense, you can use things that you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell; your breath; your body posture; body movements; or anything else that can help you stay present, stay grounded and stay in contact with where you are and what you are doing.
You can drop an anchor using a simple formula: ACE
A: Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings
C: Come back into your body
E: Engage in what you are doing
