This is a great body-centered energy exercise. Do you even notice any tension around your eyes? Our eyes often "bug out" a little bit when we look at something. To illustrate, choose some object to focus on.
Let your attention really move over to the object, and feel the slight tension around the eyes. Now, let your eyes close halfway to help you be aware of the difference between inside and outside of yourself. Imagine you’re your eyes are windshield wipers.
While looking at the same object, let your awareness come to the inside your head, inside the car, so to speak. Now keep looking and "go to" the object visually, then bring your attention back inside.
Practice letting your attention go back and forth, seeing the object both ways so you can start to become aware of the difference. When your attention (and therefore your energy) are outside, it’s a little uncomfortable. When you bring your energy back inside, the eyes relax. Feel the difference.
See if you can become aware of this more relaxed way of seeing---seeing from inside your head---during all your daily activities. Practice when watching TV, reading, talking with someone, eating, showering, driving. Notice how it instantly helps you to relax.
The next part of this exercise is from Eckert Tolle’s wonderful book, The Power of Now, and it's about getting inside the rest of your body. Close your eyes for this part or let them stay half open. (You must obviously practice this exercise while not driving. You will be able to do it with your eyes open after you learn it.)
Now bring your attention to your head. Feel the inside of your head; that is, imagine that you are physically aware of the "life energy" that is there. You might feel a sense of fullness or warmth or a very gentle sort of buzzing. You might have the impression of seeing light. You might feel and see nothing. It's all okay.
Let your attention stay on your head energy for 10-20 seconds, then include the energy in your neck. Feel your head and neck energy for 10-20 seconds, then move down to another part. Keep going like this until you are including your whole body.
Some parts of the body may be harder to feel than others. Just go with what you do experience and pretend the rest. However you do this is right, so be nice to yourself.
Now go to the top of your head, and let your awareness move like a wave down to the your toes. Reverse directions and feel your body's energy from your toes to the top of your head. Do this several times. Then feel, or imagine that you feel, your whole body all at once. Stay with it a minute or two.
Now, for fun, turn the “volume” up so it’s more intense. Feel it strongly. Turn it up another notch if you like, or you can turn it down. Spend a few minutes at the intensity that feels the most wonderful.
During the day, make it a goal to be inside, feeling your body’s energy all the time. You won’t remember all the time, but let it be a goal. Start with bring your attention through your eyes, inside your head, then move down your entire body.
Come up with various times to remind yourself, such as when you wash your hands or get something to drink. When you are reading, eating, showering, etc. let part of your attention be partly on your activity and partly in your body.
Practice this informally all day long. Practice it intentionally at least twice a day, while flat on your back, before you get out of bed in the morning, and again before going to sleep at night. If you prefer, you can practice it sitting in a chair.
In time, you will get to where you can access your “inner body,” as Tolle calls it, at will. This will bring you back to yourself, where it is much harder to feel anxious. It's also very centering and grounding.
Being inside your body is kind of like being in a storm cellar. There can be all sorts of emotional storms involving other people or even different parts of yourself, storms that might beckon to you to get sucked into them.
You can choose to go into the tornado and enter the fray if you want, or you can choose to remain in the calm, peaceful haven inside yourself. From that place you can learn to interact with others more calmly and without as much reactivity, and you can deal with your own problems in a much more helpful way.