Grounding Yourself - Why bother?
If you’re having a hard time making decisions, or you change your mind a lot, or are really confused, or you have a bunch of ideas, but can’t get off the ground, you’re not alone.
In these times, it’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed or anxious or depressed, which can make getting stuff done a challenge. As well, many of us are experiencing things we haven’t really experienced before, including things like crisis fatigue, generalized anxiety, and brain fog.
Grounding yourself is a simple, yet powerful concept that’s easy to rush past on our way to the good stuff. It’s really helpful at those times when you’re, unable to focus and not really feeling like yourself.
Getting grounded simply means feeling yourself solidly on the earth and in this world. As a culture, we spend so much time in our heads, and our heads are spinning more than ever these days. Grounding really helps balance that out. It’s a simple practice that helps reduce anxiety, create calm, and provide perspective.
In a minute or two, you can create calm within yourself by moving out of your head, going around the feelings that reside in your torso, and sending your attention right down your legs, to your feet.
Let's Begin
Put your attention on the tops of your feet. Wiggle your toes. Then go around and feel the bottoms of your feet. Notice what they are touching – your socks, your sandals, the couch. Push your feet into something solid. For example, swing your feet to the ground and push them into the ground. Feel your feet solidly planted on the floor. Give it a try. Notice how it feels.
You can stop there or you can go further. Get up and walk focusing on the energy between your feet and the floor or ground beneath them.
It’s summer … go even further. Go outside and walk barefoot. Really feel the ground beneath your feet. Try other textures — Feel sand between your toes. Feel the cool grass of early morning. Step on sunbathed earth and feel the warmth.
The Earth, our home, is a steadfast ally that we easily overlook. Yet, it’s right there whenever we need it. Noticing the ground beneath your feet can be a cue to remember its wisdom. When you feel anxious, unsettled, uncertain, push your feet into the ground. Stand. Walk. Roam. Good things grow forth from Mother Earth, including you.
One of the reasons this feels so good is that it helps you get out of your head for a bit. Your brain, an amazing resource, doesn’t have all the answers, all the time. Similarly, the feelings in our torso are rich with information, but can be overwhelming at times. That’s why taking your attention off of those parts of your body and engaging in another, often neglected part, can produce a calming effect. It means you’re accessing your whole self instead of only relying on your mind for all the answers or getting stuck in your feelings.
You can also ask yourself … what would be a good grounding practice for me? Instead of looking to someone else to tell me what to do and how to do it, what feels good to me? How could I remind myself to ground myself in times when it would really help?
It might be helpful to think of it as a check-in with yourself. It’s simple. It’s accessible. It’s powerful.