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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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Sarah
February 19, 2014 at 8:22 amJust being prepared for the week. Being organized. Easy meals planned for busy days/nights. And most of all remaining calm and being a better parent than what I had growing up.
Jessie
February 19, 2014 at 8:24 amI agree completely with the deep breathing, particularly with thinking it couldn’t possibly help me in my more anxious moments. Now that I know it does, I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time being wound up in my own head. Also, buying myself or my home a little treat from Target occasionally to freshen things up is a little thing that goes a long way too!
Rachel P
February 19, 2014 at 8:28 amI spend 15 minutes at the end of every day to straighten up the common areas. Goes a long way in making me feel less frazzled the next day.
Allison
February 19, 2014 at 8:29 amI have a new routine in the morning which consists of exercise for an hour, then I have a a couple hours to relax with no one else home before I go to work. It is quiet and I really get to enjoy a cup of coffee and maybe a TV show I would like to catch up on and read a couple daily reflection book passages.
Jen
February 19, 2014 at 8:30 amTo paraphrase Brene Brown the antidote to anxiety is gratitude so when I’m overwhelmed with anxiety I sometimes say out loud “Grateful Grateful Grateful.” Seems wackado, but it brings me out of whatever I’m worried about.
Tracy
February 19, 2014 at 8:31 amI make pottery, on a wheel. Feelinf the spinning clay in my hands is like a form of meditation for me.
Jay
February 19, 2014 at 8:32 amGreat tips, Sarah. The days are long but the years are short.
Dana
February 19, 2014 at 8:33 amI try to carve out a little time in the day to relax with a book, even if I only have time to read a few pages. It’s my favorite way to decompress.
Heather S
February 19, 2014 at 8:33 amI too used to think deep breathing was the lamest. “You breathe deep while I go over here and yell,” that’s about how it went. And still does sometimes. I haven’t tried the flowers thing on a regular basis, but I do love cute and casual fresh flowers. During a tough period with one of our littles I would make an effort to pray for my attitude and perception towards that kid and sort of plan out how I would handle things. Cool post, thanks for the ideas!
deanna
February 19, 2014 at 8:33 amWhen I’m stuck inside with a long to do list, I love to open the windows so I can hear the birds chattering and feel the breeze – makes things so much cheerier!
Ruth
February 19, 2014 at 8:34 amI get outside, preferably to the woods! Once I’m out there surrounded by trees, I feel at home in my body again.
Beth
February 19, 2014 at 8:36 amI work at home, I make it a point to leave my office in the middle of the day whether it be for 5 minutes or 45. A walk, reading a book, or flipping in the tv makes for a much saner afternoon.
joyce
February 19, 2014 at 8:37 amDropping the “chores” long enough to join my Stinkers in dancing around the house for at least two songs…I hope they remember these evenings when they’re older!
Jillian
February 19, 2014 at 8:40 amHaving a “landing strip” – place for keys, etc. multiple phone chargers in convenient places, and a morning routine (coffee pot preset the night before, feed the cat, bathroom, etc.)
Sarah
February 19, 2014 at 8:41 amLately, I’ve been struggling with stress and anxiety and have found a hour treatment of acupuncture to be the self-care that I’ve needed. Just that hour a week goes a long way to sustain me through the week.