Let’s face it; life can sometimes seem quite chaotic. Within our personal lives, work/school, family/friends, our health, and other obligations seem to demand all of your attention, and at any given moment, we’re being pulled in several different directions for many different things. Not to mention that after being on lockdown for almost two years and with life returning to somewhat normal, it seems as if we are trying to make up for the time lost due to the pandemic.
And if we didn’t have enough going on in our own lives, just about every day, there is a story about damage caused by climate change, social injustice, a mass shooting, or yet another COVID variant.
Our own personal chaos, combined with the daily fear-inducing news we hear about the state of the world, can become overwhelming, and if we’re not careful, we can find ourselves in a state of depression, not knowing how we got there.
This seemingly insane world can take a toll on us, but we need to remember to ground ourselves during chaotic times instead of allowing chaos to get the best of us. Rather than obsess over what’s wrong with the world or what you can’t control, focus on what can be controlled and what is going right in the world and your life.
Staying grounded can be a real game changer and can make all the difference in the world. When grounded, you’re able to find peace within, even when things around you aren’t so peaceful.
Being grounded allows you to be present in the moment, connected to yourself, free from distraction, and not easily influenced by other people or your environment.
Here are some easy ways to incorporate grounding into your daily routine to stay grounded in the midst of chaos.
BREATH WORK; Focus on your breathing
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
While often taken for granted, our breath is a powerful tool that can ease stress and reduce anxiety. A simple practice that only takes a few minutes can make a big difference if incorporated into your regular routine or as a part of your grounding practice.
Try this easy breathing exercise:
Take (3) deep, long breaths. As you inhale, count to 4, feeling your belly expand and then exhale slowly to a count of 6, feeling your belly contract.
There are a variety of breathing techniques available; find the one that works best for you.
SIT IN GRATITUDE
It’s easy to lose sight of what we are grateful for when we’re focused on everything that is wrong or what we feel we’re lacking. We become so consumed with the negative that it becomes a dark cloud, blocking the sun. But when we come from a place of gratitude, we are reminded that there is no such thing as lack, only abundance. And that the sun always comes after the rain. Make it a practice every day to find the good in life. Think of at least three things you are grateful for each day, no matter how big or small. If you can, jot down the things you are thankful for and revisit them whenever you need a reminder of how much good fortune you have.
ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL- Then Let it Go
“Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”- Sigmund Freud
Suppressing your feelings or allowing your feelings to bottle up is a common practice for many of us. These emotions come knocking on the door, and we refuse to let them in. The ones we refuse to talk about, let alone acknowledge. And while we may feel that suppressing our emotions is the smart or even brave thing to do, it’s not a healthy choice. Suppressing emotions can lead to a host of mental and physical problems.
It’s okay to allow yourself to feel your emotions. If you are angry, it’s okay to be angry. If you’re sad, it’s okay to be sad, and if you’re scared, it’s okay to be scared. Pretending that everything is okay when it’s not, only leads to those feelings one day boiling over in a major way when you can no longer contain them. If you feel it, feel it, and then let it out. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, but don’t become consumed with them. Feel them so that you can let them go. Find a way that works best for you- talking to someone your trust, journaling, exercising, allowing yourself a good ole’ cry, or taking your frustrations out at a local rage room.
LIMIT SCREEN TIME
Staying grounded means protecting your peace at all costs. You may not be able to control everything happening in the world, or your world for that matter, but you can control how much of the outside you allow inside.
These days the news is full of nothing but fear, drama, and negativity, and social media bombards us with all the things that we “should” be doing, being, or buying. No wonder many of us are left feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or not good enough.
Limit the time you spend watching the news and on social media. Try implementing grounding techniques around your screen time. For example, add a cleansing breath exercise or quick meditation after watching the news. Think of it as a way of purging consumed negativity.
BE ONE WITH NATURE
There’s nothing like being out in nature. The sounds, the smells, the sights, oh my. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle, being in nature allows us to see life outside of our own busy lives and realigns us with the natural rhythms of life. Get out, and take it all in. The peace and serenity often accompanied by spending time in nature puts us in a different headspace and makes room for reflection and appreciation.
Sources: Fowler, Page. 2022. Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief. WebMD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques
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