When your mind feels cluttered with racing thoughts or worries you can't act on right away, this visualization can help you feel more in control.

Step-by-step:

1. Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths.

2. Picture a container in your mind—it could be a box, jar, safe, or anything with a lid. Imagine it clearly: size, color, texture, and how it opens and closes.

3. Name the thoughts or worries you’re carrying right now. You don’t need to solve them—just identify them.

4. Visualize placing each one gently into the container. Watch yourself close the lid securely.

5. Remind yourself: “I’m setting this aside for now. I can come back to it when I’m ready.”

Take another breath, and gently shift your attention to the present.

This technique helps create psychological distance from stress, giving your brain a break and allowing space for calm and focus. If you are a creative person, I love turning this activity into an art therapy technique by drawing my container and labeling the thoughts and worries that are taking up the most space!