Are You Feeling Scattered or Out of Sorts? Here Are Some Winter Activities Sure to Keep You Grounded!

With darker days and longer nights, it makes sense that your energy will shift. Daylight affects your internal rhythms – affecting your mood and feelings. You can do specific activities to help you balance out that "case of the blahs," primarily to ground your energy and sustain you through the winter months.

What is Grounding?

Grounding is an activity that connects us to the Earth and has a calming, soothing effect. In scientific terms– just as you are made up of energy, so is everything else. The electrical current of the Earth, when connected with yours, is very grounding.

Grounding helps reduce stress, inflammation, and improve mood, sleep and circulation. It is worth exploring the many ways you can ground yourself indoors during the time of the year you need it the most.

Grounding Activities You Can Try

1. Walking barefoot outside in the dirt or grass – I love walking in the sand on the beach.
2. Sitting on the ground or beneath a tree.
3. Sitting in a comfortable position with your feet firmly planted your on the floor to establish a foundation in your body, mind and energy.

Grounding Yoga Postures

1. Standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). You can do this anywhere - even while standing in line at the grocery!
2. Resting in Child's Pose (Balasana) is a pose of renewal and reset. Resting your forehead on the ground can feel like you're bringing your head out of the clouds and back down to Earth.
3. Getting into Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Avanasana) and imagine you are pushing the ground away with your hands and feet, and allow that energy to transfer any stress or anxiety you may be experiencing into the ground.
4. Lying in the Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Kirani) is a great way to redirect the circulation flow, resting the heart and relaxing the mind.
5. Savasana Pose is perfect for letting it all go while grounding.
6. Any Standing Yoga poses (Standing Asanas) like Warrior or Triangle poses are great to practice when you're feeling out of touch or disconnected from your body. They encourage grounding and help cultivate balance.

Enhance Your Grounding Experience

Breathe Deeply

Taking some slow deep breaths is one of the quickest ways you can calm the nervous system. What's the catch? Most of us were never taught how to breathe properly, and living in a face-paced world, most of us don't realize its importance. Thankfully it can be learned, and with awareness, it becomes easier.

Belly Breathing Exercise

Breathe in through the belly and out through the belly, taking full breaths in and full breaths out. Imagine the diaphragm is a balloon filling up on the inhale and emptying on the exhale. Belly breathing is the quickest way to get us out of our thinking mind and into our center.

Connect to Your Senses

One way to connect is to meditate for 5-10 minutes. Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. While breathing deeply, focus on your senses one at a time, paying attention to each for a few breaths.

Get wet! Take a hot shower or maybe take a quick dip in the ocean. Soak in a warm bath with candles, relaxing music, essential oils or your favorite aroma. Connect to the feeling of water washing over you.

Or you can enjoy your favorite warm beverage or your favorite hearty soup. Savor and drink in the warmth, comfort and smell and allow it to soothe you.

Learning how to ground yourself anytime, anywhere, is one of the most helpful and useful skills for a lifetime of inner calm, health and resilience. By centering yourself amidst the chaos of life, you can let circumstances come and go without attaching to them.

I hope you will try these simple techniques, find what works for you and reach for it daily. Remember, your calm is just a breath away!

Love,
Mely Ann