With the holiday season upon us, anxiety levels can rise quickly. Whether it’s social events, shopping or the seemingly endless other to do’s, we can easily become stressed. There are some quick and effective things we can do to bring us back to a calm sense of being. A grounding technique may be helpful by bringing yourself into contact with the present moment – the here and now. There are quick strategies like taking three deep breaths or longer exercises like meditation. Different strategies work for different people; we just need to find the one that works for us. There is no wrong way; the goal is to keep our mind and body together.
Grounding exercises can help in many situations when you find you are getting overwhelmed or having distressing memories or feelings. It can be helpful to have a few written down or on your phone to use in a pinch. This way, when you find yourself in need of relief, you can take a look and use the right one for the situation. We can use our senses—hearing, touching, seeing, tasting or smelling—to quickly reconnect ourselves to the present. This reminds us we are in the moment and are safe.
Here are a few examples of grounding techniques:
- Stop and listen. Notice the sounds you hear close by. Then, slowly shift your awareness of sounds further in the distance.
- Get a smooth stone. Keep it with you and rub it. Notice its calming texture.
- Wear a rubber band loosely on your wrist. Flick it gently so that you feel it gently hit your wrist.
There are many options; I would be happy to help find some strategies that work best for you. Here at Life in Progress Counseling, we can help you identify many different techniques that can help. Call us at 484-876-1842 or send a message.
