As a single mom, life can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve experienced narcissistic or emotional abuse in your past. You may have constant anxiety, making it hard to relax and be present in the moment. But what if I told you that you could reduce your anxious feelings quickly by grounding yourself? Now, if you are wondering what Grounding is, you’re not alone. I just learned this in the past year. It’s the practice of bringing your mind and body into the present moment by focusing on your surroundings. In this blog post, we’ll explore how grounding can help you reduce anxious feelings and find some peace in your life.

Taking a Walk

One simple way to ground yourself is by taking a walk and noticing everything you walk by. So for example, when I head out for a walk with my dog Leo, I make a point to notice all the things I am walking by like the trees, the flowers, and the sky. I also notice any smells in the air. In the winter, sometimes I can smell a campfire even though I live in the city. Another thing I do is try to find something on my walk that I’ve never seen before. Being present in the moment can really help to relax your mind and body.

Tapping Left Foot, Right Foot

Another really simple technique I like is tapping left foot, right foot and saying that in my mind and repeating that for about a minute until I can feel my body start to relax. Once my body starts to relax I can do another type of grounding. There are a few different strategies, you just need to find one that you really like and works for you.

5-4-3-2-1

You can also try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. Take a deep breath and notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This exercise helps to bring your attention to your senses and ground you in the present moment. I really like this one too. It really takes my mind off the spinning thoughs and makes me use my mind in the current moment.

One Last Thing…

Grounding is a simple but powerful technique that can help to reduce anxious feelings and bring more peace into your life. Whether you choose to take a walk, do the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, tap left foot, right foot, or use a physical object, remember to be present in the moment and really focus on your surroundings. The more you practice grounding, the easier it will become to reduce stress and anxiety in your daily life. Remember, as a single mom, you deserve to find moments of calm and peace, and grounding can help you achieve that.

Here is a video I created on a few examples of why we are so anxious after enduring emotional abuse along with my favorite grounding technique I used first.

Here is the link to my Guide on How to Understanding and Healing from Emotional or Narcissistic Abuse