If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, like your life has been turned upside-down, or you’ve had intense fears about money or your security, you are in for a treat today!
That’s because my intuition came a-knocking this morning, and when it did, it inspired me to create a list of quick, easy, and powerful ways to ground your energy.
Before we get to the list, though, I want to go through something first, and that is: why do you need to ground your energy in the first place?
Why Grounding Your Energy is Essential
If you’ve ever heard someone say, “You need to ground your energy”, or, “He or she will feel better when they ground their energy”, you might wonder why – or exactly what this means. Even if you randomly landed on this page and you’ve never encountered the idea of grounding your energy, it’s still a powerful tool for you to learn.
As humans, we will all experience the need to ground our energy at one time or another. Why? Because nearly all humans have an ego and one of the ego’s biggest functions is to keep us safe. Let me give you an example.
Back in the day, when we lived on the land and struggled to live, eat, and survive, our egos helped protect us from dangerous things. Without the physical protection of sturdy houses, like we have today, or the police department just a phone call away, we were vulnerable to practically everything, from sabertoothed tigers to drought, to our homes being washed away in a flood. We struggled every day to live, and we depended on our ego, or instincts, to help us make split-second decisions that would keep us safe.
Thankfully, evolution was on our side, and our brains were equipped with the amygdala, a mechanism that alerts us to danger in times of stress. The amygdala – a pea-shaped gland in the brain – gives us a boost of energy to either run from a threat or stay and fight.
Despite the evolution of our species and the places we live, the fight or flight response has stayed with us over the years. And, although it’s still useful in times when we need to protect ourselves, the fight or flight mechanism can also lead to problems such as feeling threatened or under attack by something small.
Additionally, there are certain things – a job loss (or even the threat of one), losing our home, or feeling unsure about when our next check will arrive – that can cause the exact same feelings of fight or flight that we had in ancient times.
And, because fight or flight is a physiological condition – one where we experience physical changes in our body, like sweaty palms, increased heart rate, and more – it can be challenging to override.
Unless you ground yourself.
How Does Grounding Work?
Just like an electrical current shooting out of control, our own energy – especially when interlaced with fear, terror, and adrenaline – can wield a powerful, frantic force.
But, as is the case when a grounding wire is introduced, we can learn to calm and soothe our energy through the process of grounding ourselves. Often, grounding our energy involves getting out of our heads and into our bodies. If you’ve ever had a cavity filled and the dentist has instructed you to wiggle your toes while she gives the shot of novocaine, you know what I’m talking about. Or, if you scared of heights, and you concentrate on wiggling your ears instead of thinking about how high up you are.
When grounding your energy, though, it’s important to note that the point isn’t to push down your feelings and distract yourself, but rather to get your mind off of the terror, fear, and “what ifs” long enough to shift your energy away from it. Once there, you will be better able to look at things from a non-judgmental, positive place. move back into a place of neutral and eventually forward movement. It’s always a good idea once you’ve calmed down and gotten things under control to take a look at what triggered you, but that’s a topic for another blog.
So, now that we’ve talked about why grounding is necessary and when you could need it, we’re ready to jump into the tools I promised you. try one, try them all; just make an effort to give them a shot. Over time, you’ll see what works best for you and you’ll have some new methods for dealing with stress, fear, and anxiety.
My Top Ten Go-To Secrets for Grounding Your Energy
Grounding Tool #1. Wear the color red.
Examine your closet for a red shirt, dress, or belt that you can sport when you feel ill at ease. If you don’t have anything red, eating red foods like beets or watermelon, or thinking about the color red, will also work.
Grounding Tool #2. Eat root vegetables.
Foods that come from the ground provide your body with special nutrients and energy and are a great way to ground yourself.
Grounding Tool #3. Eat protein.
With its dense, tight structure, proteins are a fantastic way to add grounding energy to your body. Try healthy items like boneless skinless chicken breast, chia seeds, or almonds.
Grounding Tool #4. Do a grounding meditation.
I have an awesome one right here called the Root Chakra Meditation.
Grounding Tool #5. Use essential oils.
Woodsy scents like cedarwood, sandalwood, cinnamon bark, and black spruce are fantastic for bringing groundedness into your energy. Apply a drop or two to the inside of your wrist or tailbone, or bring the bottle with you during the day and take a few breaths anytime you feel unstable. Frankincense, myrrh, and ylang-ylang are also good for grounding and comfort during times of transition.
Grounding Tool #6. Gather some gemstones.
Stones like red jasper, bloodstone, smoky quartz, and hematite are excellent aids in rooting one’s energy. You can carry the stone in your purse or pocket, hold it while you meditate, or take a photo and use it as your screensaver. While you can find images of the stones online and access the energy that way, if you are interested in purchasing any of these stones, click here and use code HCJP for 10% off your order.
Grounding Tool #7. Go Earthing.
Western Medicine is starting to wake up to the importance of the physical connection between human beings and the Earth – and for good reason: it’s extremely beneficial for our health! Plus, it’s easy; just kick off your shoes and socks and find some grass, soil, or sand to walk around on or in. Aim for a minimum of 10 minutes when you’re tight on time, but 30 minutes a day several times a week will brighten your spirits quickly and easily! If you’re unable to make it anywhere to ground yourself today, check out this free meditation, At The Beach, from my Mindfulness for Moms meditation album:
Grounding Tool #8. Do some gardening.
Similar to Earthing but with your hands, any time you’re working with the soil of Mother Earth, you bring healthy nutrients and spirituality into your body. Gardening can be an extremely spiritual practice and can even mirror things you are going through in your life, such as needing to weed and needing to release emotional stress, fears or uncertainty. Gardening also reflects the cycles of life and teaches us that plants, like humans, need certain things to survive and thrive.
Grounding Tool #9. Do something you love that feels good for you.
Whenever I feel off-balance or overwhelmed, I turn to activities that are gentle, nurturing, and fulfilling. For me, that’s writing, meditating, and getting out in nature. What brings you peace, joy, and a feeling of comfort? Do you have any hobbies or activities where you seem to “lose track of time” because you enjoy them so much? Those are a great place to start.
Grounding Tool #10. Exercise.
Nothing can bring you into your body and focused on the present moment faster than some good, old-fashioned walking, running, or biking. And, since those are the two main goals of grounding, it’s easy to see why exercise makes this list.
In Conclusion
Well, there you have it; what “grounding” means, why you need to ground yourself, and 10 easy and effective ways to do it.
Which one you will use the next time you feel threatened or need to release negative energy?
Leave a comment below and let me know. I love hearing from you!
Jaime