Grounding exercises 101 & 102

If you listen to my podcast or are visiting from Facebook, you know I love my grounding exercises. It's because they're such a great way to get into the present moment and stop triggers, spiraling negative thoughts, and anxiety dead in its tracks. I mean, how cool is that?

Here are some of my favorites. You may know some, but I'll bet others you haven't heard of, and I loved to use them, especially when I was going through betrayal trauma.

We'll start with the easiest one:

Counting & Alphabet

Yep. That's it. When you're in the midst of a trigger or a spiraling negative thought, sometimes you need to reach for something quick, fast, and in a hurry. We all know how to count and say the alphabet. It's the simplest way to bring us to the present while we're learning to train our brains to learn other techniques.

I am a very visual person, so if you are too, these can be helpful for you:

Bursting The Bubble

I pictured what had caused the anxiety or trigger and imagined it in a thought bubble. Rather than focus on what was in the thought bubble (the trigger), I focused on imagining it. I outlined it in silver, then pictured a needle and popped it. I mentally slowed down each thought as it raced across my mind. I repeated the process of outlining the next bubble and then bursting it. Before long, I was more distracted by exploding bubbles in my head than I was bothered by the thoughts inside them. While this may sound slightly childish and a bit too simple, it helped me and hopefully can help you, too.

Leaves Falling

Another one I loved was similar to Bursting the Bubble but changed it to a tree. I imagined the bright colors of the fall leaves and then placed the trigger or emotion on a leaf, pictured the leaf falling to the ground below. As the leaf fell to the ground, I imagined my anxiety being released and letting go of it.

Safe, Happy Place

I've used this technique since I was a kid because of my migraines. My favorite place is the beach. I know others who use an amusement park or meadows; it's whatever warms your heart and brings you a sense of the warm and fuzzies. You'll imagine this place, then engage your senses in vivid detail: colors, sounds, and smells. Spend a few minutes "being" there in your imagination. I described this on my podcast, along with the next one.

Guided Meditation

While lying down or sitting, imagine your safe, happy place, then relax one part of your body at a time so you're focused on that rather than the anxiety. Start from the top of your head and work down to your toes, relaxing each body part as you go and releasing the tension.

Doodle

We've talked about journaling and word-vomiting, but you can also doodle to bring yourself to the present. Grab paper and a pen, then allow your hand to move freely, doodling shapes or patterns without thinking about the outcome. Focus on the movements your hand is making rather than worrying about what you're creating.

Let's move on to some of the more common grounding techniques. We'll start with one of my favorites.

5,4,3,2,1 Exercise

Name 5 things you can see: sun, leaves, rug, etc.

Name 4 things you can touch: hair, sweater, pants, etc.

Name 3 things you can hear: clock, barking, music, etc.

Name 2 things you can smell: lotion, candle, etc.

Name 1 thing you can taste: gum, candy, coffee, etc.

Box Breathing (or any deep breathing)

1. Breathe in, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.

2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.

3. Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.

Visual, Mindfulness Awareness

This can be done while walking, sitting, or eating.

Notice everything around you. Pay attention to the colors, sounds, and smells. You can focus on one object and notice its beauty, think about how it got there, appreciate its origin, and immerse yourself in the beauty around you.

Positive Affirmations

These work! You can write them down so when you're in the moment, they'll be easily accessible. Write down things like, "I'm stronger than my trigger." "I'm worthy." "This is momentary." You can practice them in the mirror. I did. I don’t care how silly you think you look. When we’re trying to recover and heal, we do whatever it takes!

The more you practice these exercises during moments of calm, the easier they'll be to do when things are challenging.

 Sending everyone happy and healthy vibes,

Life Coach Laura