December 21, 2025 • 9 mins
Do you find traditional meditation impossible because your brain won't stop buzzing? Are you terrified of "zoning out" while driving?In this special "Active Alertness" episode of Calming Anxiety, we break the biggest rule of meditation: We keep our eyes open.
Designed specifically for the daily commuter, this session transforms your car or train ride from a source of stress into a tool for focus. Instead of trying to empty your mind, we give your brain a job to do—using tactile grounding and visual engagement to hack your nervous system into a state of calm alert.In this 10-minute session, you will learn:
⏱️ Timestamps:
Do you know a friend or colleague who arrives at work stressed, or battles with morning 'road rage'?Don't let them start another day in chaos. Tap the 'Share' button on this episode and text it to them right now with the message: 'Try this on your drive today.' You might just transform their entire morning—and yours, too."
👉 Click to subscribe and unlock ad-free episodes now!
Support the Show:Ad-Free Listening: Enjoy Calming Anxiety without ads at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety--4110266/support
Buy Me a Coffee: Support hosting costs at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxiety
Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners!
Resources & Courses:Book Hypnotherapy: Schedule a one-on-one session with Martin at https://calendar.app.google/rXHMt8sRYft5iWma8 Pain & Anxiety Course:
Manage negative thoughts and pain with The Physio Crew’s course at https://offers.thephysiocrew.co.uk/home-pain
Breathing Challenge: Try our relaxing breathing challenge at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/
Gift a Subscription: Share Calming Anxiety with loved ones at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/
Get the App:iOS: Download Calming Anxiety at https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331 Android:
Get it on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GB
Connect With Us:Email: Share feedback or requests at calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.uk
YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1
Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit
Designed specifically for the daily commuter, this session transforms your car or train ride from a source of stress into a tool for focus. Instead of trying to empty your mind, we give your brain a job to do—using tactile grounding and visual engagement to hack your nervous system into a state of calm alert.In this 10-minute session, you will learn:
- The "Safety First" Protocol: How to meditate while keeping your eyes strictly on the road.
- Tactile Grounding: Using the steering wheel or floor as an anchor to stop anxiety spiraling.
- The "Color Quest": A neurodivergent-friendly visual game to sharpen focus and replace intrusive thoughts.
- The "Red Light Reset": How to reframe traffic jams and stops as biological reset buttons for your stress levels.
⏱️ Timestamps:
- 00:00 – Intro: Why standard meditation fails commuters
- 01:00 – Safety Disclaimer (Eyes Open!)
- 01:30 – Phase 1: Tactile Grounding (The Anchor)
- 03:00 – Phase 2: Visual Engagement (The Color Game)
- 05:30 – Phase 3: Reframing "The Stops" (Red Lights as Resets)
- 07:50 – The Arrival Protocol: Transitioning to your day
- 09:15 – Final thoughts with Martin
Do you know a friend or colleague who arrives at work stressed, or battles with morning 'road rage'?Don't let them start another day in chaos. Tap the 'Share' button on this episode and text it to them right now with the message: 'Try this on your drive today.' You might just transform their entire morning—and yours, too."
👉 Click to subscribe and unlock ad-free episodes now!
Support the Show:Ad-Free Listening: Enjoy Calming Anxiety without ads at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety--4110266/support
Buy Me a Coffee: Support hosting costs at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxiety
Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners!
Resources & Courses:Book Hypnotherapy: Schedule a one-on-one session with Martin at https://calendar.app.google/rXHMt8sRYft5iWma8 Pain & Anxiety Course:
Manage negative thoughts and pain with The Physio Crew’s course at https://offers.thephysiocrew.co.uk/home-pain
Breathing Challenge: Try our relaxing breathing challenge at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/
Gift a Subscription: Share Calming Anxiety with loved ones at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/
Get the App:iOS: Download Calming Anxiety at https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331 Android:
Get it on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GB
Connect With Us:Email: Share feedback or requests at calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.uk
YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1
Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Meditation for people who can't sit still.
(00:04):
The commute edition, which is basically for me, welcome to the calming anxiety podcast.
Today we are trying something different.
If you have ever tried to meditate on your commute and found it impossible because your brain
is buzzing or you are terrified of zoning out what's driving, this episode.
(00:29):
Especially designed for you.
Today we are breaking the biggest rule of meditation.
We are not going to empty your mind and we are certainly not closing our eyes.
Instead we are going to use the chaos of your commute to sharpen your focus and calm
(00:53):
your nervous system through active alertness.
Now, before we begin, if you are driving your eyes must remain open and focused on the
road at all times.
Your safety and the safety of others is our primary meditation today.
If you are on public transport, feel free to soften your gaze but stay aware of your surroundings.
(01:21):
Let's begin.
Phase 1.
We are trying to take a tile grounding, the anchor.
We aren't trying to escape where you are.
We are trying to be fully here.
Start with your body.
If you are driving, I want you to become hyper aware of your hands on the steering wheel.
(01:47):
Don't just hold it, feel it.
Use the material, calm or warm under your palms.
Are you gripping it tightly?
Let's use that grip.
On an in-breath, squeeze the wheel firmly for three seconds.
(02:09):
One, two, three.
And on the out-breath, release that grip back to normal.
Feel safe.
Hold it.
Feel the tension leave your forearms.
If you are on a train or a bus, press your feet firmly into the floor.
(02:35):
Feel the vibration of the vehicle moving beneath you.
That hum isn't an annoying noise.
It's a grounding frequency.
Feel it traveling up through your shoes into your legs.
You are solid.
You are anchored right here.
(03:00):
Phase two.
Visual engagement.
Right, now let's engage your eyes.
Remember, drivers keep scanning the road for safety.
Anxiety loves to look inward.
It loves to replay yesterday's arguments or worry.
And it loves to replay all the things about tomorrow's meetings.
(03:22):
We are going to pull your brain outward.
We are going to play a game of active scanning.
Right now, as you move, I want you to find the color red in your environment.
Scan the road, a break like a head of you, a stop sign, someone's jacket on the sidewalk.
(03:43):
Look into that red color for just a moment and acknowledge it.
Good.
Now let's switch.
Find the color blue.
(04:03):
Scan the horizons.
The sky, a painted sign, a passing truck, find the blue.
Notice how quickly your brain snapped to attention when I gave you a specific target.
You aren't zoning in anxiety.
You are hyper-present.
(04:34):
Keep your eyes moving, smoothly scanning.
You are the observer.
You are alert, but you are calm.
Maybe try another color of your choice or play the game that me and my friends do of spotting
(04:57):
yellow cars.
What can you see that is yellow?
Scan your environment and if you want, go back, feel the steering wheel, sense your feet
planted on the floor of the bus or the train.
(05:18):
Become aware of your surroundings, the movement on your body.
The hardest part of the commute isn't the moving.
It's the stopping, the traffic jams, the red lights, the delays between stations.
(05:39):
This is where impatience usually boils over, but we are going to reframe that right now.
Here is your new rule for this commute.
Every stop is a reset button.
When you see brake lights ahead or the train slows down for a station, this is not an interruption.
(06:06):
This is a signal I have placed there just for you.
It's a signal to drop your shoulders.
Try it now.
Even if you are moving, allow your shoulders to drop a few inches away from your ears.
(06:26):
Unclench your jaw.
See the world around you.
Become aware of the small miracles that surround each and every one of us, every day,
a weed with a flower growing in the cracks of the sidewalk.
(06:50):
Enjoy the stop.
The next time you have to stop, use that 30 seconds to exhale longer than you inhale.
The stop is your permission to stop and breathe.
Use it.
(07:11):
It is a gift.
Let's take a status check on your body now.
Press your grip on the wheel or your posture in your seat.
Is it just a little bit looser than when we started?
You just successfully navigated a high stimulation environment without letting it overwhelm you.
(07:37):
You didn't need silence to find calm.
You created calm in the middle of the noise.
As you arrive at your destination today, when you put the car in the car park or stand
up to leave the train or bus, take one final deep breath of transition and be mindful of
(08:05):
this new way of thinking, feeling and reacting, where you bring calm to the chaos of the world
around you.
You are not the same person who left the house 10 minutes ago.
You are sharper.
You are grounded and you are ready for today.
(08:33):
And throughout the rest of the day, if you feel anxiety, if you feel the noise of the
world around you building up, take time, notice the color.
The temperature of the air against the skin on your face.
Ground yourself.
(08:55):
Feel your heartbeat and breath.
And truly love all that you are.
Have a beautiful day my friend.
Thank you for connecting with me today.
I'm Martin, clinical hypnotherapist, creator of calming anxiety.
(09:18):
And my goal in life is that you find your best life.
I ask for nothing in return, but your happiness.
Smile often.
Positive thoughts whenever you can.
And to your beautiful self.
Be kind.
(09:38):
Meditation for people who can't sit still.
(00:04):
The commute edition, which is basically for me, welcome to the calming anxiety podcast.
Today we are trying something different.
If you have ever tried to meditate on your commute and found it impossible because your brain
is buzzing or you are terrified of zoning out what's driving, this episode.
(00:29):
Especially designed for you.
Today we are breaking the biggest rule of meditation.
We are not going to empty your mind and we are certainly not closing our eyes.
Instead we are going to use the chaos of your commute to sharpen your focus and calm
(00:53):
your nervous system through active alertness.
Now, before we begin, if you are driving your eyes must remain open and focused on the
road at all times.
Your safety and the safety of others is our primary meditation today.
If you are on public transport, feel free to soften your gaze but stay aware of your surroundings.
(01:21):
Let's begin.
Phase 1.
We are trying to take a tile grounding, the anchor.
We aren't trying to escape where you are.
We are trying to be fully here.
Start with your body.
If you are driving, I want you to become hyper aware of your hands on the steering wheel.
(01:47):
Don't just hold it, feel it.
Use the material, calm or warm under your palms.
Are you gripping it tightly?
Let's use that grip.
On an in-breath, squeeze the wheel firmly for three seconds.
(02:09):
One, two, three.
And on the out-breath, release that grip back to normal.
Feel safe.
Hold it.
Feel the tension leave your forearms.
If you are on a train or a bus, press your feet firmly into the floor.
(02:35):
Feel the vibration of the vehicle moving beneath you.
That hum isn't an annoying noise.
It's a grounding frequency.
Feel it traveling up through your shoes into your legs.
You are solid.
You are anchored right here.
(03:00):
Phase two.
Visual engagement.
Right, now let's engage your eyes.
Remember, drivers keep scanning the road for safety.
Anxiety loves to look inward.
It loves to replay yesterday's arguments or worry.
And it loves to replay all the things about tomorrow's meetings.
(03:22):
We are going to pull your brain outward.
We are going to play a game of active scanning.
Right now, as you move, I want you to find the color red in your environment.
Scan the road, a break like a head of you, a stop sign, someone's jacket on the sidewalk.
(03:43):
Look into that red color for just a moment and acknowledge it.
Good.
Now let's switch.
Find the color blue.
(04:03):
Scan the horizons.
The sky, a painted sign, a passing truck, find the blue.
Notice how quickly your brain snapped to attention when I gave you a specific target.
You aren't zoning in anxiety.
You are hyper-present.
(04:34):
Keep your eyes moving, smoothly scanning.
You are the observer.
You are alert, but you are calm.
Maybe try another color of your choice or play the game that me and my friends do of spotting
(04:57):
yellow cars.
What can you see that is yellow?
Scan your environment and if you want, go back, feel the steering wheel, sense your feet
planted on the floor of the bus or the train.
(05:18):
Become aware of your surroundings, the movement on your body.
The hardest part of the commute isn't the moving.
It's the stopping, the traffic jams, the red lights, the delays between stations.
(05:39):
This is where impatience usually boils over, but we are going to reframe that right now.
Here is your new rule for this commute.
Every stop is a reset button.
When you see brake lights ahead or the train slows down for a station, this is not an interruption.
(06:06):
This is a signal I have placed there just for you.
It's a signal to drop your shoulders.
Try it now.
Even if you are moving, allow your shoulders to drop a few inches away from your ears.
(06:26):
Unclench your jaw.
See the world around you.
Become aware of the small miracles that surround each and every one of us, every day,
a weed with a flower growing in the cracks of the sidewalk.
(06:50):
Enjoy the stop.
The next time you have to stop, use that 30 seconds to exhale longer than you inhale.
The stop is your permission to stop and breathe.
Use it.
(07:11):
It is a gift.
Let's take a status check on your body now.
Press your grip on the wheel or your posture in your seat.
Is it just a little bit looser than when we started?
You just successfully navigated a high stimulation environment without letting it overwhelm you.
(07:37):
You didn't need silence to find calm.
You created calm in the middle of the noise.
As you arrive at your destination today, when you put the car in the car park or stand
up to leave the train or bus, take one final deep breath of transition and be mindful of
(08:05):
this new way of thinking, feeling and reacting, where you bring calm to the chaos of the world
around you.
You are not the same person who left the house 10 minutes ago.
You are sharper.
You are grounded and you are ready for today.
(08:33):
And throughout the rest of the day, if you feel anxiety, if you feel the noise of the
world around you building up, take time, notice the color.
The temperature of the air against the skin on your face.
Ground yourself.
(08:55):
Feel your heartbeat and breath.
And truly love all that you are.
Have a beautiful day my friend.
Thank you for connecting with me today.
I'm Martin, clinical hypnotherapist, creator of calming anxiety.
(09:18):
And my goal in life is that you find your best life.
I ask for nothing in return, but your happiness.
Smile often.
Positive thoughts whenever you can.
And to your beautiful self.
Be kind.
(09:38):
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