6-Minute Video Meditation to Hold Your Attention

Anchor awareness on the breath

Man closing his eyes against a floral backdrop

Verywell Mind / Getty Images

Getting Started

  • Find a quiet place to sit comfortably upright—at the edge of your bed, on the floor, or in a chair
  • Close your eyes and tune into the breath or another point of focus to be fully present
  • Relax your body—loosen your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and soften your brows
6:33

For as long as we are alive, our breath is one of our only true constants. We hardly notice when we inhale or exhale as we go about our lives unless we draw attention to it. That's given we're immersed in the present moment, which isn't easy for our minds to do.

Just as an anchor holds down a ship, our breath can act as an anchor to hold our attention steady in the here and now. It may be helpful to silently say the word “in” every time you breathe in, to help keep your attention on your inbreath, and "out" every time you breathe out, to turn your attention to the sensation of your exhale. Use this meditation to discover how to use your breathing anchor as a focus point.

This meditation is also a part of Verywell Mind's 30-day meditation email series, Pause & Play. Sign up here to subscribe and continue your mindfulness journey with us. For more videos, check out our meditation library.

Andria Park Huynh

By Andria Park Huynh
Andria is the senior editor at Verywell Mind, where she helps manage new content production and shape editorial strategy to deliver the highest quality mental health content in the category.