Allow the sensations without resisting

Let the physical feelings of anxiety be present instead of bracing against them.

Why it works

Resisting anxiety adds tension and signals danger, which amplifies the very arousal you are trying to stop. Allowing the sensations — letting the racing heart or tight chest simply be there — removes that second-order alarm, so the body’s own regulation can run its course. This is the core acceptance move shared with exposure-based approaches.

How to do it

1. Name the sensation plainly ("my heart is racing") without adding a story about danger.
2. Drop the bracing — unclench, soften, and let the feeling occupy the space it wants.
3. Remind yourself the sensation is uncomfortable, not harmful, and let it rise and fall.

Evidence

Acceptance of uncomfortable internal sensations is central to acceptance-based and exposure therapies, where dropping avoidance and resistance is linked to reduced anxiety over time. (mechanistic)

The acceptance principle is well grounded in the broader literature; the specific four-step packaging has not been isolated in controlled trials.

Common mistake

Allowing as a sneaky tactic to make the anxiety leave faster — that is still resistance, and the nervous system reads the hidden agenda.