Day 9: 3 Grounding Techniques to Feel Calmer
Hi everyone!
7 Cups has an exciting online therapy update to share this month. To celebrate, we’re doing 25 days of Gratitude, Self-Care, and Personal Growth and please keep checking each day for updates!
Life has its ups and downs, and sometimes we all need a little help finding our centre. Today I wanted to share some grounding techniques with you that can help you feel calmer when you feel like you could use some extra help to remain balanced.
Mindful Breathing:
One of the simplest yet most effective grounding techniques is mindful breathing. Find a quiet space, sit comfortably, and take a few deep breaths. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your lungs to fill completely, and exhale through your mouth. As you breathe, focus on the sensation of the air entering and leaving your body. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your attention back to your breath. This technique helps anchor you to the present moment, reducing stress and promoting a sense of calm.
Five Senses Check-In:
This is one of my favourite grounding techniques as it helps us to connect to the present moment. Engaging your five senses is a fantastic way to ground yourself in the here and now. Take a moment to notice:
Sight: Observe five things around you. Pay attention to colours, shapes, and textures.
Sound: Listen for four distinct sounds in your environment. It could be the rustling of leaves, distant traffic, or even the sounds of your neighbours next door.
Touch: Feel three different textures. It might be the smooth surface of a table, the warmth of sunlight, or the softness of your clothes.
Smell: Identify two scents around you. It could be the aroma of coffee, fresh air, or even the scent of a nearby plant.
Taste: Finally, take a moment to focus on one taste. It could be a sip of water, the lingering taste of a snack, or even the freshness of your breath.
This exercise redirects your attention away from stressors, bringing you into the present moment and fostering a sense of calmness.
Grounding through Visualisation:
Visualisation is a powerful tool to centre your mind and find peace. Picture a place where you feel completely relaxed – it could be a serene beach, a peaceful forest, or a quiet room. Close your eyes and immerse yourself in the details of this mental sanctuary. Feel the warmth of the sun, hear the gentle rustling of leaves, or sense the softness of the sand beneath your feet. Visualisation not only transports you to a calming mental space but also helps alleviate stress and anxiety.
I hope these grounding techniques bring you some peace in your present moment. Feel free to share your experiences or add your favourite techniques to the list. Let's create a space where we can support each other on the journey to calmness and well-being! 🌻
Photo by kike vega on Unsplash
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Woah day 9 already! 😮💛
I've tried these too, and are so very helpful. The visualisation technique also sometimes helps with falling asleep, drifting off to a safe, comfy, relaxing dreamie-land.
The mindful breathing one, I've noticed it takes me a lot of time to anchor myself to a calm/ mindful space, being in that "unfazed by outer world" space, so I guess there's a long way to go in experiencing the "centering" in its full glory (if that's a thing hehe) but simply setting aside some time to *breathe* and be in some quiet, is helpful in grounding forsho!
Thank youu for yet another amazing post, Lisa, y'all are doing so great. 💛
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Thank you for this. Deep breathing and visualization has been a life saver for me.
@MoChoulan So glad to hear that!
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
It is always so wonderful to read your lovely messages! I hope you had a lovely weekend and I am so glad you enjoy using grounding techniques. I often use them too and they make you feel so centred which is usually so useful if we are feeling overwhelmed and/or anxious.
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Aw yes, definitely helpful to feel more centered, really glad you've found these useful too and of course, always look forward to seeing you in the community. Thanks for all you do, beautiful soul!🌻
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Thank you so much for this helpful post.
@enigmaticpanda4152
You are most welcome :)
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Having grounding tools in midst of the storm of life is very important. Thank you for sharing. My favorite way to ground myself is to connect with my breath, it helps me to calm myself in a short time.
@amiablePeace77
I love this! How do you focus entirely on your breath when you are trying to relax? We would love to learn more.
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Hi Lisa and my apologies for answering only now. I must have missed your post.
Something that helps me to keep the focus on my breath is telling myself in my mind "Breathing in - I know I am breathing in" "Breathing out - I know I am breathing out" (this is from a Thich Nhat Hanh meditation). When I find it more difficult to connect to my breath I put one hand on my stomach and the other hand on my heart so I can actually feel the abdomen rising and falling whilst comforting my heart with the warm pressure of my hand.
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS grounding is such a great thing for mental stability. Tai Chi aims to have that mind body connection and rooting to the ground which in my mind is very similar to grounding. Thanks for this great thread
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@soulsings
Amazing :) I know how much you love Tai Chi! I have been trying it out in a yoga/pilates class and it is so relaxing. What is your favourite part about Tai Chi?
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS the warm ups called Qi Gong, that are basic movements of connecting breath and body. This is a good example https://youtu.be/cEOS2zoyQw4?si=ElFrhCHEJeTBxmJz
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS thank you for this post, Lisa!
@KateDoskocilova
You are most welcome :) It is good to see you again posting
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS grounding is something I kinda struggle with, so this is a awesome post ❤ thankyou, I'm getting better at it😁
@Tinywhisper11 another way I feel grounded is laying on my stomach or my back. Sometiemes I feel grounded sitting. To me being grounded is not always easy. Sometimes I can focus on the breath and feel grounded. I am still a work in progress.
@soulsings thanks for telling me that technique ❤❤❤ I'm sorry you struggle with this too 😞 but at least I'm not alone 😁❤
14 days to go 🎅🎅🎅🎅
@Tinywhisper11
Many of us do and like anything it takes time and patience. Be kind to yourself and let yourself flow during grounding and other mindfulness techniques and hopefully, it'll get easier. It sometimes feel like we will never be able to do it but if we set some time each day or week to practice, we will get better :)
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS ok thankyou ❤❤ I'm definetly trying ❤❤ merry Christmas ❤
@Tinywhisper11
Merry Christmas to you too! :)
Great post