Some say it's hard not to surrender to anxiety or even develop panic attacks during these troubled times. However, the world at-large has always been a troubled place. If you decide to wait for "happy" times before you can be happy again, you could be postponing your happiness for a very long time.

Worse, you would be giving in to the belief that your sense of happiness is totally out of your control, that your inner outlook is absolutely dependent on external forces before which you are helpless. The danger in this outlook is obvious. It only deepens your sense of powerlessness, despair, and loss of hope. You become caught in an endless, debilitating loop.

So, before we begin, consider the possibility that inner happiness, inner peace even is well within your reach. Even if you've suffered a severe setback, and I know many of you have, you can recover and achieve inner joy. It will take some effort, and you might feel uncomfortable doing it, because it requires you to step out of your comfort zone -- but try, anyway. It's an effort well worth it.

This visualization, which I learned from Joe Barry, actually represents a combination of visualizations that are effective alone, and gain power when combined. This visualization sequence is designed to empower you. The point is to quickly alleviate stress, calm anxious thoughts and relax you.

Find a quiet place. Later on, when you are practiced at this, you will be able to do the exercise even standing in the middle of traffic, but it is better to first start by finding a place that offers encourages inner calm. You can do this exercise while either sitting or standing. Do it for at least 10 minutes at a time.

1. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. When anxious, people tend to breathe high in their chests; when relaxed, they breathe lower, with their diaphragms. Placing your breath lower, will also lower your anxiety. Inhale, exhale. Take a steady breath, counting if necessary, to develop a steady rhythm. The hand on your chest should remain fairly still. The hand on your stomach, however, should gently rise and fall each time you breathe in and out.
   
2. Next, slow down your rate of breathing by pausing after each exhalation. At first, you might feel as though you're hungry for air, but keep at it. Soon the slower breathing rate will feel normal, relaxing. It helps if you're counting (e.g., "One, two, three, pause ...") because the counting itself focuses your mind and shuts out intrusive, thoughts.
   
3. Eyes still closed, become aware of your feet. Can you mentally touch each toe? Imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet, strong, fast-moving roots that penetrate and grip the earth. You are now as grounded as any red wood. Enjoy this sensation of security and stability.
   
4. Now picture a soft circle of bright light forming high in the sky overhead. The glowing circle emits a bolt of lightning that touches the top of your head. A flood of light flows down over you, from your head to your toes. Light illuminates all corners of your mind and chases away the worries, the shadows. Repeat this scene over and over until you feel its effect.
   
5. Build upon this image. The flood of light is now a radiant waterfall, flowing down over you, caressing you, tickling you. You feel its vitality, its strength. You feel both joy and calm. The water tastes wonderfully fresh and sweet. It is reconnecting you with the Source of all things good. You are not alone. You are grounded in the earth, bathed in light, awash in the flow of an eternal spring.

When ready, open your eyes.

Practice this exercise daily. Use the full strength of your imagination. Don't just see the bright orb of light, feel its penetrating warmth. Not only see the waterfall, but hear how it sounds as it cascades down and around you.

Worriers may not realize it, but they use visualizations all the time. The only difference is that the visualizations are of frightening, debilitating images. Positive, calming visualizations might feel forced or odd, at first. But they're no less effective or "natural" than negative, upsetting ones. The choice is yours. The effort is worth it.

Visualizations alone, however, are insufficient to halt a full-blown panic or anxiety attack. For that, I would recommend Barry's One Move technique. It focuses on breaking the cycle of fear, on how to stop being afraid of fear itself, a key concept that certainly helped me.

Whether you're beset by fear of driving or panic attacks at night, you can find emotional freedom. You owe it to yourself and those who depend on you to take the time to calm your mind and lighten your inner sky.