Sustainable Well‑Being in Everyday Life: Small Habits That Make a Big Difference

“To ground” is to connect something physically to the earth. However, right now I want to conceptualize grounding as a tool to reconnect physically to ourselves. Often, we are taught from a young age to assimilate into society and the majority culture surrounding us. We learn, sometimes explicitly and sometimes subtly, that there are ways we should behave, think, feel, and exist. From scheduled bathroom breaks to the impacts of colonization, we are often encouraged, or forced, to override our own internal signals and disconnect from the cultures and traditions we come from. Over time, we can become so accustomed to looking outside of ourselves for direction that we lose touch with the ability to listen inward. 

Then we grow up and are thrown into adulthood carrying that disconnection with us. We may know how to meet expectations, accomplish tasks, and keep moving, but not necessarily how to recognize what we need, what we feel, or what makes us feel like ourselves. We become disembodied without even realizing it, and eventually we’re left wondering how to find our way back. 

Grounding practices allow us to get out of our heads and back into our bodies and ultimately back to our true selves. When was the last time you felt the grass beneath your bare feet? Stopped and actually smelled the roses- not just used the common idiom? Truly stopping to notice, touch, smell, or hear the beauty around us not only helps us come back to ourselves but allows us to slow down and be present. When we are present, we can often better distinguish what is actually happening around us from the anxiety our brains can run rampant with. If I am in my body and present, I am not giving space or energy to the worries of tomorrow or the regrets from yesterday. One of the most beautiful things about this practice is you don’t need anything for it- just one (or a few) of your senses. 

Grounding techniques can come in many different forms. There are the ones we often hear about in therapy and other professional settings that can be incredibly helpful when experiencing panic or anxiety, and then there are the ones that are much more personal and can become part of our daily habits. Grounding does not have to look clinical or therapeutic; in fact it can be deeply personal and even pleasurable.  

A few of my favorites are bird watching (and listening), sitting by a fire and noticing the crackling of the wood and the movement of the flames, or enjoying the first cup of coffee in stillness. I invite you to slow down and find what best brings you back to yourself. 

If you don’t even know where to start, go stand on some grass and really notice the sensations underneath your feet- the texture, the temperature, the pressure, the feeling of your body standing on the earth. Or, if nature isn’t your thing, find some nice carpet and do the same! There is no right way to ground. The point is simply to come back to yourself.