Instructions:

• Prepare music that relaxes and calms you and find a place where you can sit comfortably.
• Take a clean sheet of paper and draw a ladder with 5 steps.
• Sit and relax your body, and turn on the music you choose.
• Concentrate on breathing, try to slow it down and relax. You can count to yourself as you inhale, hold your breath, and count as you exhale. Follow your body as you breathe in, hold your breath, and breathe out.
• Imagine that your middle toes are the feet of a "firefighter".
• Climb the ladder counting backwards from 5 to 1 with each step you take. Feel how you are at the top of the ladder. When going down the ladder, repeat the count from 5 to 1. Feel yourself at the bottom of the ladder.
• Repeat it as many times as you want or need until you become aware of your breathing and your body relaxes.

Extra:

If you feel more comfortable moving with other fingers, feel free to do that. For people who have problems with fine motor skills, this exercise may be more challenging. Instead of fingers, you can use palms or fists of both hands and move them, but first draw a bigger ladder.  Also, you can adjust the exercise by changing the tempo of breathing and moving (e.g. exchange breathing in and out on the count of every number).