Tool for When Life Feels out of Your Control


Welcome to the second edition of The Reset Room, where you will receive tips, strategies and insights about all things mental health with a focus on ways to do a reset in areas that might cause distress.

Today's topic is Mindfulness in The Waiting

As a counselor I see so many people that come in uneasy about uncontrollable areas in their lives.

I had a client that been waiting on important news — something she can’t hurry, fix, or predict.


Each day she feels the tug of worry asking, When will I know?

She’s been learning to quiet her racing thoughts with mindfulness.
When her mind starts sprinting ahead, she stops, breathes, and reminds herself:

“I can’t rush what’s not ready… but I can choose peace while I wait.”

It’s a quiet, everyday courage — the kind that comes from noticing this moment instead of wrestling with what’s next.


🌾 The Reset: Practicing the 5-4-3-2-1 Principle

When life feels out of control, the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise helps bring you back to now.
It engages all five senses to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.

Try it:
1️⃣ 5 — Look around and name five things you can see.
2️⃣ 4 — Notice four things you can touch.
3️⃣ 3 — Listen for three things you can hear.
4️⃣ 2 — Identify two things you can smell.
5️⃣ 1 — Focus on one thing you can taste (sip of coffee, mint, etc.).

By the time you finish, your brain has shifted from worrying about later to being aware of right now.


That’s mindfulness in action — grounding yourself in what’s real instead of what’s uncertain.

👇 Read the Co-Parent Reset or skip to the bottom for Video Link and summary 👇


💛 The Co-Parent Reset

Waiting is built into co-parenting — waiting on messages, schedules, or agreements.
When that impatience hits, take 60 seconds for a 5-4-3-2-1 reset before responding.

Example:
A text arrives changing weekend plans. Before replying, pause and do the exercise.
When your body feels calmer, reply from clarity, not irritation.
Mindfulness gives you a steady hand when co-parenting feels shaky.


Resource to Try

🎧 YouTube:


🌸 Reconnect Moment

“While I wait, I can still live — one sight, one sound, one breath at a time.”

Closing Reset Thought

Peace doesn’t come when everything is certain; it comes when you choose to be present inside the uncertainty.

Tina Souder, M.Ed., LPC-S

I’m a counselor, counselor supervisor, and parenting facilitator/coordinator passionate about mental health — especially when it comes to helping families navigate coparenting. My focus is on reducing the stress and conflict that can impact both adults and children. Subscribe and join over 1,000+ newsletter readers each week.

Read more from Tina Souder, M.Ed., LPC-S

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