This Practice Keeps Me Sane, Happy And Calm

Ever had a moment where you turn into a hot raging mess that makes no sense whatsoever? 

Nah, me either. 

Except that my mum likes to remind me of this one moment I stormed out of a retail shop yelling and screaming that the server didn’t have any idea what she was doing. Causing everyone inside (and outside) the shop to stare at me, and my mum to quite possibly have wanted to pretend she didn’t know me. 

I remember the moment. The exact shop. The specific section of the shopping centre it was in. 

I don’t recall what it was about. 

I cringe recalling any of it really. And, if that was you serving me that day, I’m really really really sorry. It was 99% likely not your fault. (Hey there’s at least 1% chance the blow up was justified surely?). 

We’ve all had those moments. 

Moments where we feel completely unlike ourselves. Where we release a torrent of rage, tears, anger, confusion and we don’t know where it came from. 

Those moments can feel fleeting and move on quickly and we forget about it. But sometimes they dislodge something within us. And we feel kinda shaky. Or off balance. Or simply know for sure we don’t want to experience that again. 

I certainly don’t ever want to be lashing out at some poor retail assistant like that again. (Did I mention it was in my teenage years? Please note it was in my teenage years. ?). 

There’s one practice I do that keeps me sane, calm and completely feeling like myself. 

It’s so embedded into how I live my life now, it’s kind of strange to call it a “practice”, but it is. Because it wasn’t always conscious for me to think and behave and prioritise in this way. 

I call it grounding. And it’s been so valuable in terms of supporting me to feel fully myself, that it’s our focus theme in Joy Club this month. (Yep, you can still join HERE for £9 per month). 

Instead of getting into the nitty gritty details of all my highs and lows of feeling more or less grounded, I thought I’d share 3 specific ways I have grounded this week. That way you can get a feel for what this practice could look like and feel like for you in your life. 

It’s similar to what this week’s podcast guest, Gaelle Berruel, opens up about in Episode 66. She shares how her perfectionist tendencies had kept her really ungrounded without realising it. And not until she fell in love with slowing down, did she start to discover all these other interests and pleasures in her life. (Come to think of it, Episode 65 where I share a conversation starter about how you’re destined for more, is also super relevant as grounding really supports this process too!). 

Here’s 3 things I did this week to feel grounded: 

  1. Every time I’ve picked up my phone, I’ve asked myself “now, why are you here again?” and if I can’t answer I put the phone down (or have had to throw it across the room at times to release my group ?). 
  2. I bought myself a new recipe book and have been spending more time lovingly preparing meals. (I’d got a bit “meh” in my inspiration of late and needed a reboot to feel more nourished. I love the kitchen and I love food. ?). 
  3. I lay my beach towel outside on our little balcony, donned my beach hat and stretched out in the sun for the afternoon. Combo of sunshine and lying on the ground felt sooo good. 

What could you do this week to practice grounding?