3 tECHNIQUES To Stay grounded during uncertain times

The last two years have been full of uncertainty. Too often it seems like every day there’s something new. I don’t know about you, but for me that type of uncertainty can cause a ton of anxiety, stress, and more.

With that being said, I believe that when there is so much uncertainty within our external environment, without proper support practices in place, our internal environment can begin to mirror the external environment. Therefore, it is important to identify positive techniques that help you stay grounded and practice them regularly.

Regular practice can look like incorporating this technique into your daily morning/evening routine, when feeling overwhelmed, in between meetings, during your lunch break, after a tough day at work, with your family, and the list goes on.

What are grounding techniques?

Grounding techniques are coping strategies that are designed to "ground" you in, or immediately connect you with, the present moment. I like to think of grounding techniques as a type of mindfulness practice, in which grounding helps you to turn your attention away from thoughts, memories, or worries, and refocusing on the present moment.

Why use Grounding Techniques?

While in my previous roles as a Wellness Associate, I worked with a range of clients who were experiencing extreme distress, mental illness, and other stressors. While working with those clients to navigate their wellness journey, grounding techniques was something that I always suggested, explored, and practiced with them, as something to add and keep in the their wellness tool box.

Personally, I also enjoy using grounding practices, especially, when I am feeling overwhelmed or experiencing some type of imbalance mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

3 Types of Grounding Techniques

5-4-3-2-1 Technique

This exercise allows you to engage in the use of your senses, where you identify 5 objects you can see, 4 different sounds you hear, 3 textures you can feel, 2 things you can smell , and 1 thing you can taste.

Body Awareness

This exercise will bring you into the here-and-now by directing your focus to sensations in the body, allow you to get to know the sensations, and release.

Boxed Breathing

This is a breathing exercise where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and so on until you feel grounded.

What’s Next?

These are just a few of many techniques, so there’s no need to box yourself in to these three techniques. But I want to encourage you to think of three of your own grounding techniques that you can use in times of distress or imbalance.

Finally, I want to note one more thing. I think often times people think why use it if its just temporary and that’s valid. In the same breath, we know that challenges in life are inevitable, therefore, I think if we incorporate these techniques into our regular routine, these practices could be helpful in shifting how we view and manage moments of uncertainty, decrease our stress, and increase our sense of control.