Grounding Techniques That Actually Work
Aura 1. Erica Hart, 2021
Over this past year I kept saying that the greatest gift I have been given is time, but time itself has consumed me with my own mind, with thought, worry, fear, overthinking, cloudiness, fogginess and so on. This is relevant outside of living amidst social isolation but especially during prominent social isolation. This has motivated me to search for tangible, clearly instructed tools to become both aware of my thoughts rather than numb them, and free myself from the control my mind has over my emotions, attitude, & life day-to-day. I am no way an expert on the matter, but I do have some tools that I find extremely helpful picked up from books, therapy, and over 9 years of practice. These are just suggestions that I find helpful, there are many more not listed and sometimes one will work better than another. This is also an ongoing process, it’s something that can be practiced when you need it, it can be a daily practice, it can be implemented ongoing throughout your day, or it can be used just to try it out. There’s no right or wrong way, for “the moment you realize you are not present, you are present” (Eckhart Tolle).
✶ Body Scan: Focus attention to parts of your body from top to bottom. Can you feel the inside of your body? What sensations do you feel? If you need some help, try tensing up the part of the body you’re focusing on. Notice any feelings or sensations without judgement- you can do this by stating them outloud.
✶ Breathing: Slow down your breathing, not deepen it. Deepening the breath can still make it shallow and hard to relax. Slowing down the breath at it’s normal depth can make you more aware of your body.
✶ Sounds: Focus attention on the sounds around you-- people’s voices, birds, cars going by.
✶ Surroundings: Focus attention on what you see. Noticing people walking by. Maybe choose a colour to focus on.. How many red things do you see? How many birds are flying by?
✶ Acknowledging The Thought: What is the thought? What caused the thought? What belief do you have about this thought? Is it helpful, or hindering? Answering these questions can allow you to become aware of the thought/where it’s coming from without trying to solve it.
✶ Speaking to the thought: Create a name for your worry-thoughts or speak to it to detach the connection of the self from the thought (like a separate entity). “Ok, {name} I hear you, but I’m trying to work right now.”
✶ 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste.
✶ Rub your hands together and wipe yourself with your hands from head to toe like you’re dusting yourself off. Similarly, tap every part of your body from top to bottom.
✶ Tense up your whole body really tight, and then release. Do it a few times.
✶ Light a candle and focus on the flame. When you need to blink, close your eyes. What colors do you see? Do you still see the shape of the flame? Open your eyes and do this again.
✶ Check-ins: Set reminders on your phone every hour to do a check in. When the reminder goes off, notice if your mind has drifted into unconscious thought and try to refocus on whatever you’re doing. If it drifted that is ok, your mind is supposed to wander, that’s what it does. The reminders act as a way to incorporate the practice of mindfulness.
Something to keep in mind is that mindfulness isn’t a way to get rid of thoughts or to make yourself feel better necessarily, but it is simply to intentionally focus your attention. Therefore instead of being consumed by what your mind passively makes you focus on, you can use these activities to focus your attention at will. These can be done in stillness/meditation or even at work or on a walk. What helps bring you into the present?