GROUNDING AND CALMING TOOLS
Here are some exercises you can try. Feel free to adapt as you see fit. The key is experimenting and seeing what you can integrate into your routine.
> Using your senses
When you notice yourself having negative thoughts or thoughts and feelings that make you anxious, or if you are feeling anxious/restless, say STOP! Then think about:
5 things you can see right now
4 things you can hear right now
3 things you can touch (and reach out to touch) right now
2 things you can smell or like the smell of
1 slow, deep breath.
Now focus on your breathing (with a longer outbreath) before shifting the focus of your attention onto something different.
> Using your breath
The key is to have several breath-regulating exercises that distract you and focus your attention on your breath. This will allow you to bring your heart rate down and calm your nervous system.
The key is to find a way that works for you, your body, especially your ribcage, as well as your natural breathing patterns.
1. Calming breathing - A typical anxiety/stress-reducing breathing pattern is 4 in, 4 hold, 6 out, 2 hold. Yet any duration that feels comfortable and calming for breath works.
Think: IN - HOLD - OUT - HOLD. See what feels soothing & restful to you!
2. Belly Breathing - Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
> Using your body
1. Body scan - focus your attention on the sensations in your body imagining that a scanner light is going from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
2. Grounding - Put both feet firmly on the ground and describe the feelings in the soles of your feet, your toes. Focus on the strength of the pressure on the ground against our feet. Know that you are always supported by the ground.
3. Centering - Look around the room. Standing up, put your feet waist width apart, and find your balance by rocking from side to side and back to front. When you are feeling strong (not rigid so knee loose not locked in) and balanced in your own body, shift your focus to your environment so that you connect with the room you are in whilst connecting to your breath (without changing it).
4. Squeeze Muscles - Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat the exercise moving up your body.
> Using your thoughts
- Make a list of what is going through your mind and ask yourself the question. Is this true? If not, what is actually true? You can also do this when not triggered by the regular sentences and observations you say to yourself.
- For each of the thoughts above, you could also write something that would be more positive and useful. Whenever you hear a negative thought, replace it with the new, more positive thought.
This creates a new option for your brain to choose. Rather than the default setting of judgmental thinking, your mind will start to understand that you do not want the negative thought and it will go for the more positive one instead. This essentially rewires your brain, just like rewriting a computer programme, to choose one option over another.
I’d love to hear how you get on and what works for you!