A racing mind: 5-minute gratitude meditation, in the hour before an interview

About this practice

For the times in the hour before an interview when a racing mind takes up more room than you would like — 5 minutes, gratitude. A guided session of about 5 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: a racing mind

A racing mind is not a thinking problem, it is an arousal problem. When the body is revved up, the brain produces thoughts at the same speed, and each one feels urgent.

It tends to show up as:

• Thoughts arriving faster than you can finish them
• Lying awake running through the day
• Losing your place mid-sentence

Trying to stop the thoughts adds fuel. Narrowing attention to one physical sensation gives the mind a slower thing to hold.

Doing this before an interview

• Do it where you will not be interrupted, even if that is a stairwell
• Have the first sentence of your answer ready afterwards
• Keep it short — there is no time for a long session

Nerves before an interview are normal and not something to eliminate. You need access to what you know, nothing more.

How gratitude works

Gratitude here is an attention practice, not a demand for a positive mood. Attention defaults to threats because they are urgent, so pleasant and ordinary things get skipped simply for being safe.

• Pick one ordinary thing rather than something impressive
• Stay with it for two breaths — depth beats length of list
• Do not aim at feeling grateful; aim at noticing

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00If you're lying down, let the mattress hold all of you. You can stop holding yourself up.
2. 0:15You can be as unimpressive as you like for the next few minutes.
3. 0:28Let your sense of the room shrink down to just your body and the surface you're on.
4. 0:43Feel the small movements your body makes to keep you upright. They're happening without you.
5. 0:57Feel the last part of the exhale, where it turns into nothing.
6. 1:10Feel the pause at the top of the in-breath. It's shorter than you think.
7. 1:24Let your thumbs rest wherever they landed.
8. 1:34Notice your pelvis resting on the surface below you.
9. 1:45Notice your elbows. Odd things to have, but there they are.
10. 1:57No need to open your eyes yet.
11. 2:07A few quiet breaths. That's all this is.
12. 2:18Let this be easy, if easy is available.
13. 2:29Notice if you've been frowning at your own thoughts.
14. 2:40Give one thought chasing the next a shape, a colour, a temperature. Turning it into something specific makes it easier to hold.
15. 2:58You have been carrying thoughts arriving faster than you can answer them for a while. You can set it down for the length of this session and pick it up after.
16. 3:20Count four breaths silently. Then stop counting and just follow.
17. 3:32There is no correct amount of the mind running ahead of you to be feeling right now. Whatever is here is the honest amount.
18. 3:51Notice the difference between a thought and the space around it.
19. 4:03I'll leave a gap here. Use it however you like.
20. 4:15There's no need to try harder than this.
21. 4:26Notice whether you feel any different. If not, that's also normal.
22. 4:38Let the pause stretch out.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.