Top 10 Tips to feel more grounded, at peace and joyful
I've been hearing from many of you that you're feeling very unsettled and anxious given the election, pandemic and overall fatigue from the past eight months. I've personally felt the same and have been very intentional about scheduling in more grounding activities and self-care, focusing on those things that I can control and spending less time worrying about those things outside of my control.
Tips to stay grounded, happy and at peace with yourself
Take daily walks in nature (with a friend) Doing this one free and simple activity does so much for your well-being. I think of it as free therapy for your mind, body and soul. Where else can you move your body, elevate your heart rate, soak in vitamin D, experience all that mother nature has provided us and connect with someone who will help lift you up and keep you energized even on a day that you’d otherwise sit inside and worry. I’m committed to embracing the cold and going outside for early morning walks even when I’d rather stay in bed.
Meditate and breath everyday I've struggled with maintaining a regular meditation practice but one new habit that's stuck is my Monday night live guided meditation with Vanessa Feils (the first week is free). I look forward to this every week and it's the most calming way to end your day. That said, you don’t need to do anything special to reap the benefits of breath work, which does wonders to calm your sympathetic nervous system. Simply taking deep belly breaths or my favorite 4-7-8 breathing technique is an excellent way to reap the benefits in a matter of minutes.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up If we've learned one thing from this pandemic it's that life is short and we need to appreciate the small blessings in every day. Whether it's in-person or remote connections, we all need more time with those people who create energy not take it away from us; connect with those who listen without judgment and provide support when we're having a not-so-great day. As we head into the winter months it will be more important to be intentional to schedule calls and yes Zoom happy hours or coffees again.
Create a calming evening routine This means no phone or TV 1-2 hours before going to bed. I use the screen time controls on my phone to reduce my usage as well as the blue light exposure, which messes with your body's ability to prepare for sleep because it blocks a hormone called melatonin that makes you sleepy. When I do need to be on my computer I wear my glasses (which now have a built in blue-light blocking material). I recently bought all three of my kids their own glasses which they not only wear at night but all day long when they are in online school at home. My older two kids have these glasses and my youngest has these super cute ones in blue.
Read a good book (the old fashioned kind) It’s always a good idea to have a really good book that you’re excited to read in case you find yourself scrolling social media at night when you should be going to bed. A couple of my favorite books that I’m reading (and listening to) are The Great Alone , Untamed and Living Your Yoga, The last I read for my yoga teacher training program that I started in October and recommend that everyone read it. No yoga experience required to benefit from the wisdom and insightful advice that the author shares.
Enjoy a warm and calming non-caffeinated beverage I always have a warm beverage at bedtime to calm my mind and keep me grounded. A few of my favorites include Lights Out tea from The Tea Spot , Camomille and the Reishi Elixir from Four Sigmatic . Use code STEPHMAYPOTTER for 10% off your order from Four Sigmatic. If you’re a coffee drinker I highly recommend any of their mushroom and adaptogen mixes, which don’t make me jittery like regular coffee can often do (I love the single serve packets). If you have trouble falling (or staying) asleep consider trying Natural Calm (start with 1/2 the recommended dosage). I use this whenever I need to fall and stay asleep when I’m not tired.
Eat grounding and seasonally nourishing foods. No surprise here that when you’re feeling anxious you should nourish your body with as many healthy, whole foods as possible and minimize processed foods, caffeine, alcohol and refined sugars—which we often reach for as comfort when we’re feeling unsettled. I highly recommend lots of root vegetables like roasted beets, squash, turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips and spices like cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed and fennel. Soups and stews and other simple plant-based dishes are excellent to warm you up in the colder months. Interested in learning more about which specific types of foods your body needs to maintain balance? Take this Ayurvedic Profile™ quiz and then drop me a note with what you learned about yourself.
Establish a daily routine I’ve talked a lot about the importance of having a morning routine before but having predictability for when you wake up, fall asleep, work out and eat can be very grounding and help maintain some sense of normalcy, which will calm your central nervous system.
Practice self-care I’ve talked about the value of self-care before but it’s even more important during these uncertain times and when you’re feeling anxious. Self-care is not selfish. It’s critical to being the best version of you so that you can help the people in your life. This may mean taking a shower, drying your hair, wearing make-up and non-athleisure wear to help you feel “human” again.
Organize and declutter-When your brain starts to get cluttered with negative thoughts and anxiety, try organizing and cleaning out the physical items in your house. I find that being in control over my physical space helps calm my mind leaving me more relaxed, especially in our current environment where there is so much that we can’t control . I highly recommend reading “The Holistic Guide to Decluttering”, a newly published book written by the inspiring and amazing Michelle Vigg of Neat Little Nest, who happens to be a friend and neighbor. Michelle’s approach to organization is unique in that it addresses how space, time and mind that are intricately linked and how you need to dig into each of these areas in order to holistically declutter. Learn more about Michelle’s approach in our conversation with her on The Art of Living Well Podcast.
And finally, always remember that you are exactly where you need to be right now. I know this one can be tough to accept but I firmly believe that the universe has a plan for each of us and will bring us what we need at the exact moment. We just need to trust that the universe has our back and stay focused on living in the present moment.
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