Mindfulness exercises are helpful for many situations where you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or distracted by distressing memories, thoughts or feelings. If you find yourself getting caught up in strong emotions like anxiety or anger, or if you catch yourself engaging in stressful circling thoughts, or if you experience a strong painful memory or a flashback, or if you wake up from a nightmare with a pounding heart, grounding exercises can help bring you back down to earth.
It can be helpful to have a selection of mindfulness exercises that you can draw upon at different times. Just like no one technique works for all people, we often find that not all techniques work at all times. One thing you can do is look over some lists of mindfulness exercises and write down all the ones you think might work for you. Carry your personal list with you. Then, when you find yourself needing relief, you can run your eyes down your list and pick out the strategy that will be most helpful in that situation.
Here is a website for some free mindfulness apps to enable you to do mindfulness exercises wherever you are in the world: https://www.mindful.org/free-mindfulness-apps-worthy-of-your-attention/
Headspace is one of he most popular mindfulness apps, however, you do need to pay after a free trial https://www.headspace.com/
DROPPING THE ANCHOR
Sometimes during distressing situations we may feel that we’re caught in an emotional “storm” – tossed around by the waves and wind (i.e., our distressing thoughts and emotions) and unable to see and think clearly.
Grounding is a mindfulness technique that helps us bring our attention to the present moment. When we feel overwhelmed by our feelings and thoughts, we may lose track of our surroundings. Mindfulness helps us to reconnect to the present moment. It’s about taking a moment to pause and check-in with ourselves. Though it can be very difficult to engage in mindfulness during times of distress, it is a helpful skill to practice and our capacity to use this technique will increase.
You can think of this practice as similar to a boat dropping anchor during a storm. Although dropping anchor won’t necessarily make the storm pass, it does provide safety for the boat until conditions are calmer. Practicing this skill over time can help us feel more stable and improve our ability to handle stressful situations.
Follow the instructions below to ‘drop an anchor’ when you notice yourself getting overwhelmed by your emotions and thoughts:
1. Pause for a moment to re-orient yourself with your surroundings
2. Take slow deep breaths, noticing how your chest rises and falls with each breath
3. Firmly plant your feet into the ground, feeling the muscles in your legs tense up
4. Stand or sit up straight, feeling the muscles in your back contract
5. Then look around you and describe three things that you can see
6. Listen to the sounds that might be present and describe three things that you can hear
7. Repeat the exercise until you feel more calm or grounded
Remember that it is normal for your attention to wander, and when you notice this happening gently turn your attention back to the exercise. You might find that practicing this exercise doesn’t make all of the distressing thoughts and feelings go away – that’s ok. See if you can create just a little bit of space between yourself and your distress. You may also notice yourself making judgements. This is a common and almost automatic response. If this happens, simply notice that a judgement has been made and gently bring your attention back to whatever it is that you are observing.
Other grounding/mindfulness exercises
· Remind yourself of who you are now. Say your name. Say your age now. Say where you are now. Say what you have done today. Say what you will do next.
“My name is ________, and I am 24 years old. I am in my living room, in my home, in Woolloongabba, in Brisbane, in Queensland. I woke up early today. I had a shower and fed my dog. I just finished my coffee and toast. Soon I am going to walk to the train station and go in to work. I am going to walk down ______ street and then turn left at the bike shop. Then I am going to….”
· Take ten slow breaths. Focus your attention fully on each breath, on the way in and on the way out. Say the number of the breath to yourself as you exhale.
· Splash some water on your face. Notice how it feels. Notice how the towel feels as you dry. Use words in your mind to describe the sensations.
· Sip a cool drink of water.
· Hold a cold can or bottle of soft drink in your hands. Feel the coldness, and the wetness on the outside. Note the bubbles and taste as you drink.
· If you wake during the night, remind yourself who you are, and where you are. Tell yourself who you are and where you are. What year is it, what age are you now? Look around the room and notice familiar objects and name them. Feel the bed you are lying on, the warmth or coolness of the air, and notice any sounds you hear.
· Turn your attention to the clothes on your body, whether your arms and legs are covered or not, and the sensation of your clothes as you move in them. Notice how your feet feel to be encased in shoes or socks, or resting on the floor.
· If you are with other people, and you feel comfortable with them, concentrate closely on what they are saying and doing, and remind yourself why you are with them.
· If you are sitting, feel the chair under you and the weight of your body and legs pressing down onto it. Notice the pressure of the chair, or floor, or table against your body and limbs.
· If you are lying down, feel the contact between your head, your body and your legs, as they touch the surface you are lying on. Starting from your head, notice how each part of your body feels, all the way down to your feet, on the soft or hard surface.
· Stop and listen. Notice and name what sounds you can hear nearby. Start with the closest or loudest sounds. Gradually move your awareness of sounds outward, so you are focusing on what you can hear in the distance.
· Hold a mug of tea in both hands and feel its warmth. Inhale its scent. Don’t rush drinking it; take small sips, and take your time tasting each mouthful.
· Look around you, notice what is front of you and to each side. Name and notice the qualities of large objects and then smaller ones.
· Pick one interesting object in your field of vision. Trace its outline with your eyes, as if you were drawing its lines.
· Get up and walk around. Take your time to notice each step as you take one, then another.
· Stamp your feet, and notice the sensation and sound as you connect with the ground.
· Clap and rub your hands together. Hear the noise and feel the sensation in your hands and arms.
· Wear an elastic band on your wrist (not tight) and flick it gently, so that you feel it spring back on your wrist.
· If you can, step outside, notice the temperature of the air and how it is different or similar to where you have just come from.
· Stretch.
· Notice five things you can see, five things you can hear, and five things you can feel, taste, or smell.
· If you have a pet, spend some time with them. Notice what is special and different about them.
· Run your hands over something with an interesting texture. Describe it in your mind, as if you have never felt anything like it before.
· Get a sultana, a nut, or some seeds. Focus on how it looks, feels and smells. Put it in your mouth and roll it around, noticing how it feels. Chew it slowly and mindfully, before noticing how it feels to swallow.
· Put on a piece of instrumental music. Give it all of your attention.
· Another option with music is to sit with a piece of paper and a pen. Start drawing a line as the music plays, representing it in the abstract on the page. Follow the music with the pen.
· If you have a garden or some plants, tend to them for a bit. Plants, and actual soil, can be an excellent “grounder!”
https://www.livingwell.org.au/well-being/mental-health/grounding-exercises/
