Being Grounded in the Middle of Chaos

It is so easy to get caught up in the middle of craziness and lose it. Might be a small burst or large burst but nonetheless it's a burst that 9x of 10 you look back and realize you could have handled that a lot differently and the reason why you burst was because you lost our grounding. So how do we stay grounded in the middle of chaos? Here is a simple grounding exercise.

A Simple Grounding Exercise

In the middle of a chaotic day, it can be difficult to stay grounded. As you go from one task or situation to the next, you may find yourself becoming impatient and overwhelmed. This simple grounding exercise can help ground you in these moments by calling on your five senses. The more concrete the presence of your senses is, the easier it will be to ground yourself.

In a comfortable seated position, take three full breaths. On the third breath, exhale through your mouth and let your body relax as much as possible.

After a brief moment of relaxation, imagine you are standing in a lush green forest filled with the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. Look around you and notice the sights of fallen leaves scattered among vibrant green plants, hear the sounds of life all around you.

In this forest, there is a path in front of you that leads deeper into the woods. Follow this path until it ends at a beautiful blue lake surrounded by tall trees on all sides. In front of you, sitting on a rock or pier, is someone you love dearly. Imagine that person's face clearly in your mind.

You may notice that as you imagine this scene, you are calmer and your breathing slows down even more. The air around you smells fresh and pure—you feel happy.

Close your eyes and stay with this visualization for as long as it makes you feel more grounded. If your mind drifts, bring it back to the visualization.

After a short time—or if you're ready to end the exercise—thank the person on the rock or pier for spending time with you and say goodbye. With each breath, imagine yourself getting calmer and calmer until you are ready to open your eyes.

Note that if you feel more comfortable simply imagining yourself in this place, go ahead and do that. The visualization is designed to help ground you; it need not be exactly as described above.

When you are grounded, open your eyes and continue on with what you were doing before the exercise.

If you are feeling anxious because you have too much to do, start this exercise when you can take a break. You may also want to visualize walking one of your dogs or petting the cat while doing this grounding exercise.

This exercise is best performed in an environment that is free from distractions and noise; it will be easier to focus on your senses. If you are in the middle of chaos sneak into the bathroom or pantry. I like to take the moment from car to front door, right before walking into chaos.

This simple grounding exercise can help ground you in these moments by calling on your five senses. The more concrete the presence of your senses is, the easier it will be to ground yourself. To ground yourself in this moment, think about sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch.

Remember when imagining a scene that details are most effective. For example, if you imagine a forest with nothing but green grass and a few trees, it may be harder to concentrate on the exercise as the images in your mind aren't as clear. Instead of imagining a generic forest, think about what you'd see if you were actually standing there: fallen leaves scattered among vibrant green plants, the sounds of life all around you, the smell of fresh air, etc.

Once grounded in this moment, take a short break to do something grounding before continuing with your day.

If it's too overwhelming to think about scenes that are clear and detailed, simply imagine yourself somewhere quiet where you feel happy or relaxed. What would that place smell like, taste like, sound like and feel like?

In this example, you could visualize yourself standing in a meadow full of colorful wildflowers. The air would be fresh but warm. You'd hear birds chirping and the occasional breeze blowing through the grasses. It might even begin to smell sweet as the flowers release their pollen. The sun might be slightly bright in the sky, but not too much to disturb you. As you stand there, feel at peace.

I hope this helps you in the future. Remember it takes practice and being kind to yourself. You got this ;)