As I look ahead to the shift into Fall (and back to school), I almost immediately feel anxiety. As women, we often find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities—family, work, school, relationships, and more. It can be completely overwhelming, and when life gets too stressful, it can lead to anxiety, worry, and even panic. You know when you spend the day feeling flighty, disconnected, and just going through the motions? There are ways to find balance and bring yourself back to calm and centered, and one of the most effective methods that I’ve relied on for most of my life is grounding. In fact, you’ll often find me literally sitting on the floor. One of the reasons Activation feels so good is because we really ground down over the course of a few days.
Grounding basically means to bring your focus to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. It helps you stay in the present moment instead of worrying about things that may happen in the future or events that have already happened but you still find yourself going over and over them in your head. Here are five grounding techniques that can help you reduce stress and anxiety:
Movement
Beyond slb, I regularly dance and spend time on my foam roller to release emotoin. Movement helps release stress, gets blood flowing, and calms the mind. As you move, focus on your body and how it feels. Pay attention to your breath and how your muscles feel.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the most effective grounding techniques for stress and anxiety. Regulating your breathing helps you regulate your emotions. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, filling the lungs completely, then exhale slowly and fully through your mouth. Repeat this exercise for a few minutes, paying attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale.
EFT Tapping
You’ll see me tapping often. Similar to acupuncture, EFT focuses on the meridian points — or energy hot spots — to restore balance to your body’s energy. It’s believed that restoring this energy balance can relieve symptoms a negative experience or emotion may have caused.
Based on Chinese medicine, meridian points are thought of as areas of the body energy flows through. These pathways help balance energy flow to maintain your health. Any imbalance can influence disease or sickness. Acupuncture uses needles to apply pressure to these energy points. EFT uses fingertip tapping to apply pressure.
Sensory Awareness
Grounding through sensory awareness is another effective technique. It involves focusing on your senses to help bring you back to the present moment. Start by sitting or standing with your feet firmly on the ground. Take a deep breath and then focus on your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Pay attention to each sense and try to describe it in detail in your mind. Sucking on a piece of sour candy or walking outside on the grass barefoot also really helps.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, without judgment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reacting to them. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. As thoughts come into your mind, acknowledge them, but don't dwell on them. Instead, let them go and return your focus to your breath.