What does it mean to be grounded? From a psychological perspective it means to feel stability and be down to Earth. For me, it means to be mindfully aware in the present moment, which makes me feel calm and centered. Feeling grounded is synonymous with feeling whole or consciously alive. Chances are you’ve felt ungrounded many times in your life. This can mean feeling unstable, anxious, or just off.
When you’re grounded you are in control of your cognitive and emotional self. When you are in control of yourself, you are less likely to feel influenced by others - like shiny Instagramers with seemingly perfect lives or Debbie Downer in the neighboring office. You may feel lighter and be able to focus more clearly once you’re energetically in balance. You are fully in charge of you and all of the decisions and responsibilities that go along with what it means to be you.
There are many ways to get grounded, but these are my personal top six!
Find the Nature - If I go for too long without being among trees or putting my bare feet in grass, I definitely do not feel like myself. When I am near water, I need to be in it and the moment I’m in water I feel like a new person. Hiking and kayaking are ideal (for me). But it can be as simple as taking a walk, touching a flower, watching a sunset, or letting the sun touch your nose. Find nature and get all up in her business.
Drink Coffee - It’s partly the ritual but also the fact that the liquid is warm. Warmth is comforting. Of course if you’re not a coffee fan tea is always there for you. Or hot water with lemon or matcha or bone broth or a half-caff-double-lavender-fairy-magic-latte. Find a small act that can bring you back to you after a stressful meeting or gets your day started on the right foot.
Cooking - Creating is paramount to my personal wellness. If I’m not creating something I get stuck in a rut. Cooking is one of my favorite ways to create. Each step takes time and thought. Purchasing the goods, finding a recipe or making one up, and immersing myself in what I’m doing help me feel present, accomplished, and calm. Annnnnnd then I get to eat it!
Mindful Breathing - You can call it anything you want - meditation, quiet concentration, brain break, taking a pause, or hiding in the bathroom… but being mindful and intentional with your breath is an incredible tool for helping you feel good in your body and mind. Your breath keeps you alive. It’s powerful af. It’s also your superpower to control the way you feel. There are breathing techniques to cool you off, wake you up, heat up your body, and relax your mind. Meditation changed my life and there are a million ways to do it you just have to find one that works for you and be consistent.
Listen to Music - If you can get to live music - do that. The way music vibrates and resonates through your body is therapeutic. If you can’t get to live music put something on that feels like a little bit of magic. Sometimes grounding for me is listening to the Rolling Stones laying on the floor. Often I listen to classical or opera and open all the windows. And almost daily I throw on some hip hop or girl jams and show myself my best moves. Music connects people and connects us to ourselves.
Move It, Move It - I love to move. Sweat is medicine to me. Because I do many, many types of movement I work hard to pay attention to what my mind and body are asking for. Somedays I know I need to get to my yoga mat while other days I need to run up a hill until my lungs say enough or ride a bike until my quads are noodley. I like the challenge and focus that comes with lifting weights and the subtle, minuscule shifts that make me realize that my yoga practice isn’t nearly as strong as I thought! Find something active that you enjoy and do it. Do it because it feels good and because you are lucky to have the ability to do it.
These are 100% not the only ways to find grounding and balance. I do know that my top six are fairly popular choices and work for many people so go ahead and try them and if they aren’t for you then keep trying until you fall into that sweet spot where you feel exactly like yourself.