Being Grounded as a Preventative Measure

There are times when we are just going to feel anxious as we get faced with challenges and worries that we must attend to. Using grounding techniques for those times help to get through the anxious moments.

But there is something to be said for the practice of “being grounded.” It can be a goal that we set as a way of life that helps us to consciously spend more time in our comfort system. By practicing the art of being grounded on a daily basis, we are giving ourselves permission to not only prevent a lot of unnecessary anxiety, but we also create a good foundation for dealing with worries when they strike.

Choosing to ‘be grounded’ involves soothing techniques and creating space for daily self-care:

• Anchoring your day. When we dedicate time to feeling grounded, we begin our day with something that anchors it. It doesn’t need to take up a lot of time – it can be something as simple as doing some morning stretches, saying your prayers, sitting by the window for a few minutes, meditating, writing in a gratitude journal, reading a favourite blog. 🙂
• Bookending your day. It is good practice to break up our day with activities that reset our system. It is good to have a mid-day reset (such as a 15 min walk outside) as well as one at the end of the work day (listening to a positive podcast on the way home from work, or playing a soothing playlist.) A short ritual at bed time is also recommended (it can look quite similar to your morning activity.)
• Choosing to soothe. This involves making sure that we are creating moments of feeling soothed or grounded throughout the day. It can include having a warm cup of tea, listening to music while making dinner, taking time to just step outside to take in the fresh air. Wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket, having the dog or cat cuddle up beside you, giving hugs to your loved ones.
• Creating joy. Building time into our week that focus on joy and laughter is a great way to remain grounded as those types of activities soothe and feed the soul. Making sure to build those into our week on a regular basis helps to feel settled as we have connected with the joyful and creative sides of ourselves.
• Get outside daily. Find the green spaces, do some gardening. The earth has the ability to remind us daily that it is okay to feel settled and calm.

To live grounded is a choice. There are times that are going to unsettle that feeling and that is okay; we will be better equipped to handle those challenges when we have worked diligently to live in our comfort system.

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@maddibazzocco