The Power of Grounding: Integrate Body and Mind

When someone comes to me telling me about their anxiety and panic, what I hear is their mind has become disconnected from their body. 

 When we are worried about the future…

our mind racing to problem solve or plan, and/or…

we are unconsciously trying to avoid a painful experience, 

our mind has taken over and is completely running the show. 

Grounding helps us bring our whole self back together, so that our mind, body, and ultimately our soul, can start to have a conversation with one another again. 

When we live from a grounded place, we are able to respond and make choices that are aligned with our values, not with our fears. 

I often say that the fastest way back into the body is through the breath. 

Taking deep belly breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, gently lengthening the exhale so it becomes twice as long as the inhale, has been said to turn off our flight-fight response (our sympathetic nervous system) and turn on our rest and digest response (parasympathetic nervous system). You might like this guided Deep Breathing exercise. 

Here are just a few more of the many research-backed ways to practice grounding, both to set you up for a more vibrant day and to help you reconnect with your deeper self when anxiety arises: 

• Put your feet or hands into the earth
• Drink water
• Splash cool water onto your face or run water over your wrists, go for a swim
• Move your body – shaking your hands, stomping your feet, running, dancing, jumping, kicking, practicing yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong. 
• Use your voice to sing, yell, scream
• Create something with your hands – clay, painting, drawing
• Meditate
• Get out into nature

I often use opportunities like watering my garden in bare feet or dancing with my daughters as ways to slip in grounding throughout my busy day. 

Coming back into our bodies throughout our day, even for 3 deep breaths, is vital in living our lives with peace, ease, and vibrancy.