15 July 2021 – Grounded, Grounded and Grounded. In the past week, I fell down twice and hurt myself pretty badly the first time and intensified the pain the second time. When I was telling my daughter about it, she said, “The universe is trying to help you be ✨ grounded, ✨” My sarcastic, smart a$$ girl. But her comment got me thinking about it, and she has touched on something really important and actually true, I need to be grounded.

Now, the question is, what do I mean by grounded? There are a few different types. When I was a kid the most common type was when my friends or I were in trouble with our parents and were “grounded” and not allowed to do certain things or even leave the house. Now, despite the fact that I probably should be in trouble for something I have done, I am not going to include that in my discussion.

Recently I have read some things about a practice called grounding or earthing. This practice is based on connecting to the earth through direct contact with the earth. Think walking barefoot or laying in the grass or leaning against a tree. By physically grounding to the earth, research suggests you can restore your body’s natural defenses. Research is showing that it can help inflammation, heart health, chronic pain and mood. When I was in Santa Fe I talked to a bartender who practices this type of grounding and she said it has helped her. If this type of grounding has the potential to help the acid reflux and the chronic pain that I live with constantly then I should try it. Grounded to earth requires very little work and even offers time for relaxation.

Grounding is also a practice used to manage mental health. Therapists see grounding as a means to bring your focus to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. This type of grounding is based on focusing like focusing on your breathing or focusing on one or all of your senses – things you can touch or smell or hear or see. You can also ground yourself with an object that you like to look at or touch. Mental grounding can also be found through exercise. I am not always good at managing my thoughts and my feelings. I tend to internalize too often and I can get stuck in my own mind which can affect my mood and kills my confidence. Grounded outside myself would definitely be more healthy in many ways.

The other type of grounding is the type we are referring to when we say, “She’s very grounded.” What we are really saying is she is confident and strong in who she is. I appear well-grounded to people who don’t know me and even to many people who know me pretty well. Unless you have been able to peek through the cracks, you will think I am grounded. But I am not. When I internalize my feelings and continue to build my walls, I get further and further from grounded.

I need to ground myself. Although I don’t believe in hocus pocus, I do believe in self-focus. I am going to spend this last week of my trip grounding myself. Who knows, maybe it will help and the universe will stop forcing the ground on me (ie., I will stop falling). I will spend more time outside in nature, maybe even barefoot in the grass. I will touch trees and swim in rivers and lakes. I will breathe deeply and enjoy my surroundings. If I become grounded with nature and I focus on grounding myself maybe I will become more grounded. Grounded, grounded and grounded. It can’t hurt.