My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety: Anytime Exercises to Reduce Stress, Ease Worry, and Invite Calm

by Carley Centen

Start living with more confidence, composure, and peace every day with these 150 easy guided meditations to shut down stress, worry, and anxiety.

Stress and anxiety can weigh heavily on our minds. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you understand your stress, release your fears and tension, and shift your thoughts and emotions into a more grounded and peaceful pattern.

In My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety , you will learn to manage your stress levels by cultivating mindfulness through 150 guided meditations. Now you can find your calm, control your thoughts, manage your fears, and release your worries—no matter where you are!

Genres: Self Help, Mental Health, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2020

Reviews

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen is a self-help book designed to reduce anxiety and stress.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Adams Media, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

My Synopsis and Opinions

This book is designed to help people learn techniques to cope with stress that leads to anxiety.  Now, the title talks about meditation, but really, most of these ideas can be used any time, any where.  You don't have to be sitting cross-legged on the floor in a quiet room.  That is rarely where you are going to be when having a panic attack...  However, that would be a great place to practice some of these techniques.

The book is broken down into easy to understand sections, and then within the sections are ideas the user can implement.  For example, Chapter One teaches you how  to "Move your body to Stillness", and involves different methods of relaxing your muscles.  Chapter Four teaches you different breathing techniques.  Other chapters involve mantras, and working with your senses, and changing your over-thinking,  and being kind to yourself, facing your fears, etc....  This book really covers all the basics, and allows you to try different methods to find what works best for you.  You don't have to read any of it in order, as opening any page will give you something new to try.   There is a great index in the back in case you are looking for something specific.

I really believe this is one of the better self-help books out there for someone who just needs to calm themselves for a while.   If just a couple of these ideas will provide even temporary relief for someone suffering from anxiety, it is worthwhile.

I believe if anxiety continues, more professional help is needed, and finally in this day and age, there is so much help out there, and the stigma is being lifted.  We all have to take care of ourselves, and sometimes, asking for help is the first step.


For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Ink_Drinker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a simple and easy book to use to bring about calmness and reduce anxiety when you need it!!

There are 150 different exercises to use for different types of anxiety. I was able to try several and each helped ease my worries and enabled me to focus only on relaxation.

I was using a digital copy, but I will be buying the physical copy because I think it's perfect to carry with you so you always have it no matter when you need it and no matter what life throws at you!

Thank you NetGalley and Adams Media for the ARC in exchange for my review.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read two digital ARCs of upcoming meditation books back to back recently, this one (My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety: Anytime Exercises to Reduce Stress, Ease Worry, and Invite Calm) and Rockridge Press's Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners: 50 Meditations to Practice Awareness, Acceptance, and Peace. This one was by far my favorite.

Here's how they compare. MMFB has a very long introduction to mindfulness, which may be helpful for people who want to know the history, benefits and types, but felt like a textbook to me. This one has a couple of pages of short, basic information and instruction and then you're off to the meditations.

MMFB has 50 meditations. This one has 150. MMFB has them all mixed up so you get a random one in no particular order. This one has them by chapters: Meditations to Move Into Stillness, Meditations to Visualize Natural Calm, Meditations to Understand Stress and Anxiety, Meditations to Relax through Your Breath, Meditations to Find Focus with a Mantra or Phrase, Meditations to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Senses, Meditations to Challenge Your Thinking Patterns, Meditations to Befriend Your Emotions, Meditations to Counter Fear with Self Love, Meditations to Face Your Fears, Meditations to Be Mindful in the Everyday, and Meditations to Surrender to Open Awareness.

MMFB is a lot more text-heavy. Each meditation starts with a longer paragraph about the meditation and its purpose, then there are about 4 steps, each with multiple lines. The meditations take about two pages (wide spaced) and it's a fair amount of reading. This one is short and to the point. There's also a brief introduction to the point of each meditation and then it's also numbered steps, but these ones seem more succinct.

Both books offer encouragement and a sort of cheerleading element. MMFB is more like the practitioner who talks a lot and guides you through your emotions. This one is more like the behavioral therapist who focuses on the actions. It also offers adjustments to tailor it to your needs at times. I also appreciated the meditations specific to the body in this one (heartbeat, breathing, movement, etc.)

I am in the recovery period from a pretty scary illness that really interfered with my blood pressure, breathing, circulation and heart rate (both from its physical effects and from the fear it caused) and breathing and meditation were tools that I learned over the past few months to help my body recover and manage my emotions as I supported my healing. I wish I'd had this book sooner in my recovery, because it offered meditations that specifically helped with my physical and emotional needs. It also offers meditations specific to a whole range of other needs too, from overcoming fears about things like needing to speak in public to clearing clutter (no, this one isn't a strict meditation but helpful advice to make a practice for 30 days of letting go of one thing a day and making a practice of doing any task that takes less than 5 minutes as it comes up).

One last comparison between the two books is that this one unfortunately won't be released for a couple of months, while MMFB was released this week. This book is due to be published on September 8, 2020. MMFB was published July 21, 2020.

That said, this book is by far my favorite meditation book, not just compared to Mindfulness for Beginners but compared to any other meditation books I've read. This is a really great resource for anyone who'd like to practice mindfulness and meditation to manage stress, worry and anxiety.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

My pocket meditations for anxiety is a fantastic pocket-sized book with the sole purpose to help you deal with anxiety attacks and help to keep you grounded when you feel anxious and stressed.

We all need to practice forms of mindfulness at times in our life with all the stresses and strains of the modern lifestyles and this book is a fantastic way to practice this anytime, anywhere.

I tried out a few of these meditations and found them simple and easy to follow and do and found they did help calm me and relax me. Each page has one meditation on it and each is for a specific thing/time.

I loved this book and plan to buy a physical copy to keep in my bag to revisit at stressful times or when my anxiety bubbles.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect guide for angst-ridden times. As I paged through, I found myself becoming more calm, relaxed and deeply at peace.

There are 150 short exercises for handling all that upsets us. I especially resonated to Practice Mindfulness for 2 Minutes Each Morning, Calm a Raging Storm, Block It All Out, and Let the Future Unfurl Itself. I only wish tranquil illustrations had been included as well to boost serenity. Nonetheless, I highly recommend MY POCKET MEDITATIONS FOR ANXIETY to destress and regain equanimity.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 08 Sep 2020

Thanks to Adams Media and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#MyPocketMeditationsforAnxiety #NetGalley

[Stan Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had a meditation practice for about 25 years and I have never run across a book like My Pocket Meditations before. The book has 150 guided meditations which are both practical and useful in everyday life. There are many other sources out there of guided meditation material videos, YouTube, websites, but I have found this book to be imminently practical in my own practice and I am confident this would be very valuable to those new to meditation or those who have an interest in meditation. It's a great way to get started and to vary a meditation practice.

How to use this book effectively is a different matter. For some exercises in some chapters, I took to recording the instructions as an MP3 that I would play along with a timer (e.g., "Talk to Strangers") so that I didn't have to worry about memorizing the instructions for this guided meditation. The Chapter on Mindfulness practice is very good and for the most part the instructions of these guided exercises don't need to be recorded in advance since there are so few steps. It would be nice if a CD or MP3 files accompanied the book, even with a timer like Medio or even the Mindfulness Coach from the Veterans Administration. In my current practice, I use Centen's guided meditations on mindfulness with Medito as my timer.

I can't help but tie this to the pandemic and all of us trying to find our way to develop healthy, normal routines as we are sheltered in place. A meditation practice, albeit small, is a good place to start, and this reference is an excellent resource to use during these trying times to reduce our anxiety level over the unknown. The book will be published soon, so grab a copy and begin your practice as we may we another resurgence in the winter.

I highly recommend this guide for the novice or experienced alike. In 150 nuggets, you are bound to find a gem that will stick with you. I will continue to use this book to develop a mindfulness practice. Thanks to Carley Centen, Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this advanced reader copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review, very enthusiastically.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it is a book that can be an addition to what you do to help with anxiety or at least a start to help you. You get the mediations with mantras and questions. Decent book.

[Emma Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review here: https://lifesanovelty.blogspot.com/20...


Opinions: There's not much to say except that I have never come across a self-help book so perfect. It is to-the-point, easy to read, and actually helpful! Of course, different methods of calming down help different people, but I think we can all agree that a straightforward activity is better than three pages of the author droning on about their own experiences with anxiety which only make you more stressed out. My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety provides the former, making the book short and 100% beneficial to most readers. The activities and meditations are varied and allow readers to choose their favourites among the 150, meaning you can take your anxiety into your own hands! There's nothing else to say - this is a great guide that I strongly recommend to anybody who struggles with anxiety or stress!

My Favourite Thing: For years, whenever I spoke to doctors about medical issues or mental health problems, their prescription was yoga. Admittedly, I gave up on this pretty quickly for a few reasons. One, I refused to believe meditating would help my intrusive OCD thoughts. Two, I didn't know how to meditate! The best thing about My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety is how straightforward and simple it is! The step-by-step guide was easy to follow and even easier to repeat your favourite parts. As I mentioned above, you will never get lost in anecdotes, facts, and other silliness - this book is purely meditations. The simplicity of this book not only taught me how to meditate, it proved me wrong that yoga wouldn't help my mental illness!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read many of the other books in the My Pocket Meditations series, I jumped at the chance to read My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen. The timing on the release of this book could be called nothing other than divine; roughly 6 months after COVID 19 showed its ugly little face to the world causing a sharp increase in the amount of people suffering with anxiety and the level to which they suffer. When the mere act of donning a mask to pick up groceries causes a rise in ones' pulse, any and all interventions should be considered for your personal toolbox.

This book contains 150 different meditations for self help that can be utilized in a multitude of situations. These are 2 minute exercises, folks, they don't require a daily routine and a huge chunk of time that some forms of meditation require.. I particularly liked that the author starts chapter one with simple to follow exercises that help the reader release muscle tension in a gentle way that paves the way for the rest of the book.

In closing, this book is not a long winded lecture on meditation. What it is, however, is a simple, easy to read, and even easier technique guide for effective ways to lower anxiety. Who couldn't benefit from that?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Adams Media for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest and authentic review.

[Kimberly Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a simple, easy to read book consisting of 150 exercises in order to promote mindfulness and decrease anxiety. Each page offers something new to experiment and implement in daily life. This book will assist you in controlling your stress and anxiety in your life through time limited exercises. The exercises range from muscle relaxation, breathing techniques, and controlling your thoughts. This book has something for everyone. It is simple, easy to use, and easy to read. It allows one to try many different forms of anxiety reducing techniques without purchasing different books. I received a digital copy of this book however, I will be purchasing a hard copy to carry with me. I highly recommend this book for an individual looking to investigate multiple ways to curb anxiety and stress.

[Krys · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety by Carley Centen is an easy to read, and embrace yourself guide to taming your inner thoughts and finding peace within yourself. Honestly, the writing is very simple but it read in a soothing, simple manner that it really read like someone was talking me through these exercises. A lot of these things seem pretty simple and easy but we’ll see as I move further into using it more in my own life. For now I feel like it has helped give me a good foundation to build up from and with the way 2020 has been this will probably be something I need most to work on this year.
***
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you know anyone who isn’t feeling a bit anxious today? There are elections, Covid, holidays that will be different this year and more. What better time could there be for a pocket sized book of meditations for anxiety? Here in 176 pages are many suggestions for calming and relaxing.

Each of the many entries is short. Some require a bit of physical moving while others are for reading and visualizing, for example. Just a few of the many entries include, Shrug it Off, Calm a Raging Storm, Allow Yourself to Worry, Learn to Sit with the Panic, and Ground Yourself in the Present. Anything you could use here? If yes, take a look at this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Carolyn G. Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Pocket Meditations for Anxiety is an excellent book that is full of varied approaches to meditation. This book looked like a helpful, quick read & it was even better than I thought it would be. This book has suggestions that allow the reader to build their skills in medication and to create a useful, meaningful medication practice. Full of different suggestions & approaches, I think that its variety if the key to its usefulness. It was so good, that I bought my own copy after I finished reading my review copy. This is a book I’ll use again & again. It’s great.

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A grouping of one page anxiety reducing techniques to calm your mind.

I appreciated the multitude of techniques that were provided, however I did find there to be a lot of activities. For someone like me who suffers from sporadic anxiety, this pocket book would take me a long time to utilize. I feel this book is tailored more towards those who suffer daily. This would benefit those who can practice self-care practices daily to lessen their anxiety.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC for an honest review.

[Amanda Karsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazing. The meditations do work, they are simple and easy to follow and organized by anxiety. I fond this very helpful.