These are tips I use to help me feel grounded and alive when I’m anxious and/or depressed. The practices will look different for each person, and they may not serve everyone. Experiment, and see what works for you. Know you are not alone in your discomfort, and we are all experiencing the vastness of humanity, including joy and sadness, comfort and discomfort.
- Go outside. Connect with nature. Leave your phone or screen off or leave it inside. Take at least 5 to 10 minutes (longer is even better, but it doesn’t have to be long) to feel the air on your skin, notice the color of the grass and leaves on the trees. Listen to the birds and/or sounds of the city. Look at the sky. Notice the color and the clouds. Close your eyes and gaze toward the sun. Notice what it looks like on your inner eyelids.
- Walk barefoot in the grass, dirt, or sand. Connecting your feet to the earth is literally grounding.
- Pay attention to the moon. Notice the phases. Notice how things may shift according to the phases of the moon. Practice moon bathing in the full moonlight, and let the energy of the moon nourish you. Think about the fact that the moon looks the same across the world. Consider keeping a daily journal tracking this.
- Nourish yourself. Take a moment to drink a glass of water or iced tea or lemonade (or a warm drink as the season may shift). You could also eat a simple snack. Don’t watch TV or look at your screen. Just sit and notice how it feels as you eat or drink. Notice how it feels in your hands. Notice sensations in your mouth. Notice tastes on different parts of your tongue.
- Breathe. Take a minute or more to pause and connect with your breath. Acknowledge that it is constant. If you’re experiencing anxiety, focus on the exhale, maybe making it longer than the inhale. Try exhaling with a sigh, or exhale through pursed lips, like you’re blowing through a straw. Let this be your release. Practice this for at least 12 rounds of breaths.
- Acknowledge that uncomfortable feelings are human feelings. Have compassion for your discomfort. And know that you can experience joy and sadness or comfort and discomfort at the same time. To be human means we experience a range of emotions, and negative emotions do not outweigh positive emotions. You have a right to experience both. Anything you experience is impermanent.
- Practice yoga. Find trauma-informed or healing-centered teachers. Yin and restorative classes are nourishing when you feel depleted. Hatha and flow style classes can be more empowering and challenging. A full practice is great, but it’s not necessary. One or two yin stretches can help you feel embodied. Balancing poses help with focus. Twisting and cross-body work help you be present in your body. Side stretches are energizing, but leave you feeling less vulnerable than a heart opener might.
- Practice abhyanga. This is an ancient ayurvedic practice of oiling your skin. Give yourself a massage with oil all over your body before you take a shower or bath. This adds a protective layer for your skin and is especially helpful for people with heightened sensitivity. Oiling your nostrils with a q-tip is helpful in keeping allergens and viruses from entering your system, so practice this if you must go out in public or if your allergies are high. Almond oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil are different oils that work for different people (I use them all).
- Immerse yourself in water. Go swimming (a natural-flowing body of water is especially good). Take a bath or shower. Water moves energy. It helps get you out of a funk. It can be energizing and relaxing. Practice gratitude for your access to water.
- Meditate. Start with one minute a day, just focusing on your breath. Work up to three minutes or longer. Find a guided mediation app that works for you for longer periods, or a teacher who is offering it online. I love the Insight Timer, which is a free app.
- Sing, hum, chant. Make sound with your body. Did you know that every cell in your body vibrates when you sing? Find space to sing in the car, in your shower. Sing with your kids. Find an online music class to join. Like water, sound gets energy moving and can help you shift your mindset.
- Get creative. Cook, paint, sew, make music, build things. You can even create art out in nature, making mandala designs out of leaves, flowers, and rocks. Impermanent art can remind you that our present state is impermanent, which is especially helpful with states of discomfort.
- Connect. Find space to connect with friends and family members outside of social media. Talk on the phone. Write letters. Talk to children or elderly people who may help you see the state of the world in a different perspective.
- Ditch the electronics. Take a break from your screens. Try it for a day, a week, a month! See how much better you feel after not being fed by the constant cycle of negative news.
- Take action. Acknowledging discomfort and practicing self-compassion are not always enough. Taking action will look different for everyone. Sometimes it involves the very basic building block of making space for self-care (see all the above suggestions), and sometimes it means getting out to vote, or protest, or volunteer with a charity helping others. It might also mean seeking help in the form of therapy or medication. Whatever it means for you is OK.
