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Have you ever had issues grounding yourself? No, I don’t mean being sent to your room while you sob and listen to Morrissey (LIFE IS SO UNFAIIIIRRRRRR), nor protecting yourself from actual electric shock. I mean pulling back your focus from a nonstop mind and back into your physical body. Sometimes, I can lose myself in my thoughts, which causes me to feel spaced out, dizzy, and pretty damn strange, really. Like a mini out-of-body experience. Anyone else out there feel this way on occasion?
Bueller? Bueller?
I remember the first time a friend recommended grounding myself by lying outside and feeling the Earth beneath me. I looked at her like she was smoking crack. First off, itchy. Secondly, bugs. Finally, what would the neighbors think? “Oh look, there’s Sarah lying in her front yard. She seems to be fondling the grass and dirt. I knew that chick was weird.”
So maybe I’m not the type to fondle grass, but I have discovered little things that I can do around my home that keep me in the present moment and off the mental hamster wheel, especially when I don’t have much time on my hands due to mom duty.
1. Checking in with your body. If you have 5 minutes to spare and are feeling overwhelmed, sit down, close your eyes and do a body scan. Notice how your body feels – your feet, your legs, your hips, so on and so forth. Divert yourself from mental chatter, and just notice any sensations you have in your body. Don’t judge the sensations. Just observe.
2. Not down with rolling around in a grassy field? Bring nature inside. I love to have beautiful flowers and plants in the home to keep me grounded. Just their presence alone makes me happy, but they also bring my attention to the present moment while caring for them. (Yes, sometimes I touch the plants. Because they are SO DIFFERENT FROM GRASS.)
3. Breathe. Inhale and exhale slowly, counting from 1 to 5 each time. For many months, I thought the whole deep breathing concept was lame. Deep breaths can’t touch MY issues! Well, I’m here to report that as much as you think slow, rhythmic breathing won’t help, it actually does. It just takes more than a minute for your body and mind to get the signal that it’s time to chill out. Try it for at least 5 minutes and then tell me how you feel.
4. Hold your kids. Look at their faces. Count their freckles. Scratch their backs. Look into their eyes and ask them to tell you something funny. Don’t try to sneak a chore when they are answering your question. (So guilty of this.) Be present. Like my dad always said, the best way to stay grounded is to focus on the love around you, outside of you. Forget the to-do list for a bit and take every bit of your little ones in.
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What little things do you do that go a long way? Leave a comment here and you’ll be entered to win a $300 gift card from Target in the Little Bit Goes a Long Way Sweepstakes!
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Lauren
February 19, 2014 at 8:06 amWhen I get overwhelmed I turn everything off – TV, phone, computer, all back ground noise – and just sit in the silence for a little while and take calming deep breaths.
Katie
February 19, 2014 at 8:06 amBaking helps calm me.
Mary O
February 19, 2014 at 8:07 amThese are great tips that I will try using, for sure. Thanks, Sarah!
Alyssa
February 19, 2014 at 8:07 amYes to breathing and getting outdoors! I need to buy myself some flowers and make a trip to the craft store.
Kristen
February 19, 2014 at 8:08 amI couldn’t agree with you more on the deep breathing. I was the same way — I thought, oh, no, I’m way beyond BREATHING. Umm, no. And I’m finding that different types of deep breathing has different effects. Doing a different rhythm, breathing more into my stomach than my chest, etc — it’s all strangely different.
Jessie Briggs
February 19, 2014 at 8:12 amI try to stay organized, that way my night time routine with my boys is less stressful. When I plan ahead and make lunches and layout clothes, I’m just making my life easier.
Linsey
February 19, 2014 at 8:12 amI will go for a walk outside without any headphones, light a candle, or turn off the TV and turn on my record player.
Allie
February 19, 2014 at 8:13 amI keep a gratitude journal, it reminds me how blessed I really am.
Style Tutor
February 19, 2014 at 8:13 amThings that keep me grounded on stressful days are a giant cup of coffee, running, and laughing with my family!
Jennifer
February 19, 2014 at 8:14 amLooking at pictures of my kids on my phone reminds me that in the scheme of things everything is just fine!
Nicole
February 19, 2014 at 8:16 amThese are great tips! Thank you!
Christy
February 19, 2014 at 8:20 amI too have a hard time turning off the brain. In fact, unless I am dead tired, I can’t go to sleep without aid. This is bad.
Things I have been taught is even though I can’t turn off the thoughts, I need to let them pass through me – thoughts in and thoughts out. Acknowledge it but don’t let it take you over. Easier said than done but I have had some success with it.
Looking at videos of my nieces and nephews is also a great distaction :)
Ashley
February 19, 2014 at 8:20 amFor me, it’s prepping the night before. taking the extra time to get everything ready for the next day. Usually at night, it takes me ten minutes and then it makes my morning a breeze. But if I don’t prep the night before ie: lunch, pick out clothes, straighten up. The next morning is chaos.
Kate Mitchell
February 19, 2014 at 8:21 amLove target! Great reminders, I always try to take time each day to be present with my kids and husband, sometimes life gets in the way but I try not to let it!
Sheila Jones
February 19, 2014 at 8:21 amI love fresh flowers, flowy curtains and opened windows! Hiking connects me to the earth and makes me feel so alive, the peace and quiet makes me feel recharged and opens up my eyes to the world around. I love nature!