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It may feel pointless at first to train the attention to keep coming back to the breath or another anchor (this takes lots of practice)! But being in the moment can help to reduce stress and anxiety. If the mind is left to wander unchecked we can get caught up in the scenarios we create, memories or worries about the future. If you think about it, most of those worries never actually happen. The body will then respond as if these worries etc. are happening in real- time. This sympathetic nervous system response creates stress chemicals to flood the body. Instead, if we bring our attention to a present moment sensation, like the feeling of the feet grounded to the earth, we may start to disentangle the feeling of overwhelm. All we have to remember is to notice the feet, what they feel like and breathe. Next time you are feeling anxious try it for yourself. Remember this is a practice of building stress reduction skills, it actually takes practice. Until next time, be well.
