32 Grounding Techniques to Calm Yourself in Chaos
Learn the different ways you can calm and soothe yourself in stress.
Man, life is tough. Only yesterday, I had to become part of an argument in order to protect someone I love only to be blamed for heating up the issue by the same person. When I went back to my room, for the first time in a few years, I was less distressed than I used to be after such situations. I sat down on my bed and started taking deep breaths. I told myself repeatedly, "Everything will be okay. We'll be out of this soon." In no way did my mood get better, but I was not enraged or disturbed physically. I could take my dog on his walk and then meet my younger cousin later to eat ramen nearby. Eventually, I was much better than before.
Grounding techniques are physical or mental practices that help a person pacify themselves, root in the present moment, and pull away from disturbing emotions or memories.
This year has really been a transformational one for me. I have had to reshape my thinking and learn new ways of regulating my emotions because the old ways have become obsolete. Lying in my bed for a day and watching a Pixar movie will no longer help me get out of the severe heartache that will take weeks and months and even years of healing. I have had to become a person who is already strong enough that she will not get as hurt as she used to, she will let go much earlier than she used to, she will accept the truth without fighting it fruitlessly, and she will believe in things working out eventually no matter how twisted the present is.
I really trust in the strength of grounding techniques because they will make you a stronger person. When you learn how to handle yourself and calm yourself in situations that used to overpower you, you'll feel more confident in yourself. My higher wish for you is that your life will become easier and your health will be much better. But before that happens or you make it happen, I hope that these tools will help you get through challenges with more power than you felt before. You can do it. I believe in you, I truly do. We can get through this.
With this thought, here are 32 grounding techniques to help you calm yourself and come to the present moment. With all these techniques, the main trick is to really focus on the details and how the exercise involves your senses. This focus will help you move away from what is disturbing you. These are quite a few ideas and will be helpful in different circumstances. To start, pick the ones that you already feel will work for you and try out others when you need something new to help yourself. I wish you well.
Grounding Techniques
Here are the grounding techniques you can try out:
- Take deep breaths
- Wash your face with cold water
- Go for a walk
- Do the 5-4-3-2-1 technique
- Do a body scan
- Hold something cold or warm
- Start counting backwards from 100
- Do a routine activity
- Pick an object and notice it in detail
- Smell an aroma that soothes you
- Do a quick exercise
- Read aloud something slowly
- Sit with your pet
- Reassure yourself with positive affirmations
- Listen to music carefully
- Look at photos or videos from happy times
- Paint a landscape
- Visualise a better future in detail
- Go to a different place
- Slowly eat or drink something
- Mentally or vocally describe your surroundings
- Picture someone you love
- Recall a day you loved from start to end
- Visualize a place you love
- Take a soothing bath
- Create a comfortable environment
- Plan an outing with your best friend
- Find five ways to add up to a number
- Stand barefoot and stretch
- Imagine yourself in a peaceful place
- Describe yourself aloud
- Try to center yourself by journaling
1. Take deep breaths
Starting off with one that I practiced recently when I was overwhelmed. Take deep breaths as attentively as you can. Focus on the sound as you breathe, count the seconds of each inhale, exhale, and the spaces in between. You can do the 4-4-4-4 method where you inhale, hold, exhale, and hold each for 4 seconds. Put your hand on your chest to feel the movements of your lungs. Even close your ears to only listen to your breathing.
2. Wash your face with cold water
Another thing I try often and I recommend committing to it. Don't just splash your face once and throw the towel. To ground yourself, the exercise has to be given the time and focus. Keep splashing water on your face and notice how the water feels on your skin and the sound it makes. Wash your eyes as well.
If washing your face is not possible at the time, you can just keep running cold water over your hands and pay close attention to how it feels and moves.
3. Go for a walk
Another thing I did after deep breathing was this. There are no rules when it comes to doing what you need to do. We might need to try multiple grounding exercises to feel more and more centered and reach a better place. So yes, go out on a walk somewhere you feel safe, a place that feels peaceful. Listen to the sounds, count your steps, observe the details of everything around you, feel the air on your skin, and breathe through.
4. Do the 5-4-3-2-1 technique
One thing that I love so much about writing for you is that I learn new things myself. This is such a well-known grounding technique that I was absolutely unaware of. Here's what you do when you are worked up and need to relax. Take a pause and identify,
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
You can say them out loud or silently. I just tried it out right now and it works so well in getting your attention and forcing you to focus on what is around or within you.
5. Do a body scan
To do a body scan, you can either work your way up (toes to the top of your head) or down (top of your head to toes). Here, pay attention to each individual body part and notice if any is holding some tension. As you pay attention, try to relax and loosen up those parts, and breathe out as you do. You can slowly go in this order: top of your head > forehead > cheeks > chin > neck > shoulders > back > upper arms > lower arms > hands > fingers > chest > belly > abdomen > thighs > knees > calves > feet > toes.
6. Hold something cold or warm
Either a block of ice or a mug with some hot drink. If it's something you can drink, it's double good because you can first hold the mug and focus on how its warmth feels in your hands, and then also slowly drink the tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and really savor its taste and feeling and warmth as it goes from your lips to your stomach.
7. Start counting backwards from 100
From 100 or any high number of your choice, start counting backward but by skipping a certain amount so that it's not routine and too easy. For example, you can count by skipping 3s, so it'll be 100, 97, 94, 91, and so on.
8. Do a routine activity
You can also get your ground yourself by doing a chore, for example, folding the clothes, rearranging the books, washing the dishes, mopping the floors, cooking, etc. Something you like to do.
9. Pick an object and notice it in detail
Pick up anything around that interests you. It could be a rock or a bottle or a book. The more detailed the better. Observe it as carefully as you can. Anything that's written on it. How heavy it feels. The textures, the smell, how warm or cool. Hold it from different sides and see it as if you're trying to memorize it. Say the things you notice out loud if you can.
10. Smell an aroma that soothes you
There are certain smells, aren't there, that just instantly make us take a deep breath and feel refreshed. If you happen to have a way to have that around you, maybe your favorite perfume, or perhaps some delicious tea that would couple two other grounding techniques of holding something warm and savoring a drink! As you smell this scent, try to describe it to yourself, why you like it, and how it feels to you.
11. Do a quick exercise
Some jumping jacks, maybe just running around the room, a quick plank, a few skips, maybe even dance, if you're up for it, or just flapping your arms. Focus on your breath, how your body moves, touches the ground, and all the sounds.
12. Read aloud something slowly
Grab a book, if you have one around you, or open up a random poem on your phone. Slowly read the words, enunciating them clearly, and focusing on their meaning as well as the sound of your voice and how it fluctuates with each word. Focus on how your mouth moves to shape the words.
13. Sit with your pet
The number of times I do this can't be counted. My dog is my best friend and so many times when I've felt completely alone and helpless, I've just gone to him and brushed my hand across his soft fur. He'll perk up his head as if to ask, "What's up?" and I'll just kiss his face, hold him, and that will soothe me. If you try this out, pay attention to all the details of your pet, the color and texture of their hair, the details of their face, and try to memorize them all.
14. Reassure yourself with positive affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that we can say to ourselves to overcome that negative voice in our heads and nurture the type of thoughts we do want to have. I use affirmations every day, in so many situations, and I am sure you do too whether you realize it or not. Any time that you've encouraged yourself mentally you probably used some affirmations. Here are some calming affirmations that you can repeat to yourself, slowly, with your hand on your heart, eyes closed, deep breath in, deep breath out, and ground yourself to the moment, saying what you need to hear.
15. Listen to music carefully
Whether you listen to a song you already love, a new one, or a soothing instrumental track, give your full attention to every word that's said, its tone, the music, each instrument on the song, how the melody changes... Give your complete attention to the music. Alternatively, you can start humming or singing and focus on the inflections of your own voice.
16. Look at photos or videos from happy times
Another thing I do very often when I'm down bad. Taking myself back to those times when I was happy, having fun, with people I love, in a beautiful place... It helps to get a break from what is hurtful. Stop and stare at the photos, look at all the details, maybe even edit them a little to make them more nostalgic... Cherish those memories.
17. Paint a landscape
Painting a natural scene is one of the most relaxing and rewarding things that I have experienced. I have to push myself to do it sometimes but in the end, I always feel grateful seeing the work of art I created. Play some music in the background as you start painting and give attention to each brushstroke, how the paints blend, and how each layer takes you closer to the look you want. If there is any other art medium that you enjoy, feel free to try that out too. You know what helps you best.
18. Visualise a better future in detail
Maybe you're somewhere where the place itself is the problem and all its details. There's a song that says, "I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind." Our minds can often be the cause of our worries but if we try, we can make it save us too.
Think about the kind of life that you want, away from all the current troubles and unjust people. Think in detail about the place you want to be in, the kind of house you want to have, who you want around you, how you'll decorate your home, what you'll do in a day, what you'll eat, what you'll wear. Comfort yourself with the kind of life you wish to have and, bless you, one day you shall.
19. Go to a different place
When you are overwhelmed, and if you can, try to get a change of place as different as possible. Go to a different room, if that's what can be done, or go to a different place in your city, visit a cafe, go to a park, get yourself somewhere else and notice that place, get your mind to focus on where you are.
20. Slowly eat or drink something
Get something that you like to eat or drink. It's better if it isn't room-temperature water because there isn't much to notice. Focus on the taste, each crunch, and how the flavor dissolves, the spices, the texture, the feeling... Savor it so well that you might be able to recreate that food/drink from memory.
21. Mentally or vocally describe your surroundings
Look around the room or wherever you are and name the objects that you see, out loud, preferably. For example, I can look around and say "Black chair, soft pillow with a green cover having black floral line art, my speakers, a photo frame with my parents' photo, green empty water bottle, my paintbook, lip balm, maroon backpack" and so on. There are a lot of my books in front of me too and I can also just say their name and their authors'. This takes away my attention completely.
22. Picture someone you love
Love is a healer. Try to picture someone whose love has calmed you, supported you, and enriched your life, Focus on the details of their face, the sound of their voice, how they laugh, your memories with them, and try to make it as clear in your head as if they were right in front of you.
23. Recall a day you loved from start to end
There are bad days and there are good days. Let the good ones save us from the bad once again. Try to relive a day that you really really enjoyed. Imagine those times mentally as well as you can. Try to create those images in your mind as clearly as they were when you were there, what you heard, how the weather was, how bright the sun, how everyone looked, and what they wore. You can also try to relive the entire time from start to end, in order. It will encourage you to remember it all as clearly as you can and distract you from what you want to be away from.
24. Visualize a place you love
Similarly, try to comfort yourself by transporting yourself to a place that already has your heart. Imagine it in the most detail that you can manage. All the colors, the scents, the feeling, the lighting, the objects, the textures, the sounds, moving parts, and what you do when you're there.
25. Take a soothing bath
It's starting to get cool in northern India and warmer showers feel soooo incredibly comforting. Put on some music, light some candles. and prepare a great bath for yourself. If you have a bathtub, then put fragrant essential oils in the water. Make it as cosy as you can and just let the water soothe you. Put your mind on how it makes you feel, how all your senses interact with it, and breathe deeply.
26. Create a comfortable environment
All these grounding techniques are basically to help you comfort yourself and give yourself the compassion you need when you are suffering. So, for this grounding technique, try to give your body the environment that it will feel most relaxed in. Wear your coziest clothes, remove your shoes, get your comfort meal, dim the lights, play relaxing nature sounds, or watch your comfort show (mine is Gilmore Girls currently), hug someone you love if they're near, hug yourself, sit and just breathe, or maybe take a nap (God knows that helps). Just give yourself the love that you need.
27. Plan an outing with your best friend
Often, when I am really worked up and frustrated, I open up the Airbnb website and start looking at those beautiful homes in places I want to travel to. I don't know but it just really comforts me sometimes. I think of going there with my best friends and everything we'll do there. I open up Pinterest and just look at the photos of those dreamy cities, the cuisines we'll try, the photos we'll take, the clothes we'll wear, how we'll laugh on the plane together, and roam around the streets. It makes me feel a bit better somehow.
28. Find five ways to add up to a number
Another numeric grounding technique is finding different ways to reach a certain number. I realize I do this often just as I'm lying about but so great to know that it indeed is helpful because it completely takes up my mind. So, take up big numbers that are sure to have at least five combinations to add up to them, figure them out, and try to be creative. For example, 72: 70+2, 36+36, 18+54, 60+12, 28+44. Keep trying for different numbers if this works out for you.
29. Stand barefoot and stretch
Press your feet on the ground and pay attention to how that feels. Do some light stretching slowly, focusing on each movement of your body and the relaxation of your muscles, take deep breaths with each stretch. Do this for some time and observe how it helps you relax physically.
30. Imagine yourself in a peaceful place
Try to imagine yourself in a place you would consider to be paradise. I love beaches, so I can imagine a beach with off-white sand, that's very soft and so comfortably warm. I imagine running my fingers through the sand and finding colorful seashells to put in my pocket. I'll imagine how the wind flows, the color of the water, how the sand feels when I walk on it, the color of the sky, the shape of the clouds, the sound of the waves, how it feels when the water touches my toes for the first time, how my hair keep caressing my face, my laughter, what I'm wearing. Create a world for yourself where you feel safe, peaceful, and happy.
31. Describe yourself aloud
State simple facts about yourself out loud (preferably) or silently. For example, "Today is October 16, 2024. It is 1:51 PM. My name is Aarushi Tewari. I am 25 years old. I am sitting in my room, on my bed. This is my third day of working on this blog post. I am wearing a light yellow T-shirt with an illustration of the Hufflepuff house in Harry Potter. I have a beaded ring on my left hand's ring finger. I can see the curtain swaying lightly with the wind. There is a packet of chocolate next to me. I can see two paintings on my desk." Keep going if it helps take your mind off.
32. Try to center yourself by journaling
Now, based on your situation, you can decide which type of journaling is going to help you. Sometimes, writing about my feelings in the moment helps me feel lighter. And sometimes, I don't want to express how I feel at all. In those times when I still want to journal, I write about someone I am grateful for or how I wish my life to be, things that indeed are still good in my life and I want to focus on that. It helps me get away from those helpless feelings and connect with the better part of myself.
And, with that, we're done! Oof, this is probably the longest post I have written and I feel very proud. I genuinely hope that learning about these grounding techniques can help you out. If you liked this post, please share it with the people in your life because I really believe we can all be better off with this knowledge. Take care, dear reader!
Continue Reading: 7 Ways to Be Brave and Finally Overcome Your Fears
