My Favorite Ways to Ground

Quickly . . .

Breathe - Our breath is our greatest gift yet so often we forget that not only is it readily accessible, a deep breath provides an immediate reset. In moments of overwhelm, pause, breathe deeply, and imagine that any heaviness is falling away on the exhale. If you need a place to put it, offer it to the earth beneath your feet.

Quiet the noise - In an age where there is a constant pull for attention, taking a few minutes of quiet is a wonderful way to reset our nervous system. Perhaps it is driving in silence to your next destination or closing your eyes (quieting the view) for 30 seconds. Think of it as a way to briefly remove yourself from the external noise.

Journal - I have notebooks and pens sporadically placed throughout my home for those moments when I need to let go of distracting thoughts. If I am working on my laptop - it's a google doc. Automatic writing is one of the quickest ways I have found to dump overwhelming thoughts, find tidbits of inspiration and receive clarity.

If you have a bit more time . . .

Nature Walk - I have the beautiful fortune of being able to walk my son to school every morning. This has become an important part of our daily routine and one I look forward to even on the coldest of mornings. It is an opportunity to start my day (without headphones) by tuning into morning’s natural sounds. And when I am needing a bit more support you will often find me at a nearby tree where I will touch, hold, hug my heaviness away. Try it - I promise you it works.

Prayer/Meditation/Altar Work - Whatever you call it, whatever works for you - this does not have to be a daunting task. Even 2 minutes staring at a lit candle will do wonders. Whether it is asking for guidance, speaking your worries away or sitting in silence - it is the moment of simply being that provides a reset we so often forget to offer ourselves. This is also when I will do a quick smoke cleansing sweep of my body and for anyone I am sending blessings/intentions.

Movement - My relationship with movement, like all other practices, varies with the seasons. And because I start my days early, going to a cozy heated yoga class isn’t always a readily available option. So when I have a bit more heaviness in my body that needs a place to go, I will roll out my yoga mat and do whatever moves (usually twists) feel most supportive. There is no right or wrong - the point is that I am tuning into my body’s needs and moving it accordingly. If I have a bit more energy I may pop open YouTube and flow through a 10-15 minute morning yoga sequence or put on music and dance which I have found provides the quickest, deepest release. 

The only guidance on what is right is what makes sense to you in the moment and that will change day to day, moment to moment. Perhaps in an ideal world we have our daily, disciplined practice that we do not stray from but the reality is that like life, we cannot always curate the perfect conditions externally nor internally. It is in the messy bits that we learn the most about ourselves and sometimes this means only having the capacity to grab the nearest thing available so we can simply put one foot in front of the other.