Staying Grounded Meaning & Benefits + Top Tips For Staying Connected To Yourself & The Earth

Uncertainty, chaos, and stress and all inevitable in life. We cannot prevent challenging times from occurring, but we can prepare ourselves for them.

So how do we do this? By staying grounded.

Unsure what it means to stay grounded or how to do it? If so, this article is for you.

First, we’ll explore the staying grounded meaning and why feeling grounded is crucial for our well-being. I’ll then share my go-to practical steps to feel more connected and present amidst stress and chaos.

What Does It Mean To Stay Grounded?

To be grounded means to feel connected to the present moment and in touch with your body and the earth. Grounding relates to how centered and balanced we feel as a person and in our life no matter what is happening around us. When we are grounded, we feel secure, stable, and settled. In contrast, we may feel anxious, vulnerable, confused, or fearful when we are not.

Staying grounded is also about having trust in ourselves and the universe. It’s the ability to remain calm and collected amid extreme stress or uncertainty because we wholeheartedly believe everything will work out as it should.

As life is full of ups and downs, it’s normal for us to have times when we feel flustered, chaotic, and off-balance – we’re only human, after all! However, the more we practice grounding techniques like the ones described below, the easier it becomes to remain calm and at ease regardless of what life throws at us.

Are Grounding And Earthing The Same Thing?

Grounding and earthing are often used interchangeably, but are they the same thing? Earthing is a more literal meaning to grounding as it refers to being connected to the earth’s energy. While earthing promotes the same effects as grounding, grounding refers to the psychological feeling of being calm, centered, and emotionally balanced.

What Stops Us From Feeling Grounded?

Feeling grounded is linked to a sense of stability and ease. So anything that threatens our safety or core physical needs can make us feel completely thrown off track and unstable.

Big life changes like moving home, long-term travel, or ending a relationship can make us feel ungrounded. Likewise, stressful situations and upsetting events like losing our job or experiencing a house break-in can create the same unsettling and uncentered feeling.

Physical pain, illness, and burnout also make it difficult to feel grounded. This is because it’s challenging to connect to the body and stay aware of our bodily sensations when we feel tired or in pain. Instead, our mind is taken over by the pain and exhaustion, which we want to escape, not stay present with.

Lastly, one of the most common reasons why we don’t feel grounded in the 21st century is due to information overload. Our minds are always active, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. Moreover, every time we switch on the news or scroll through social media, we move further away from the present moment, getting swept up in a downward spiral of anxiety and stress.

How Staying Grounding Benefits Our Mental And Emotional Health

So why is grounding ourselves so important? Well, the more we can stay grounded during the ups and downs of daily life, the more we will feel:

In control In the right mindset Mentally calm and focused Emotionally balanced

Standing grounded also:

Reduces feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm Reduces mood swings and feelings of irritability during stressful or chaotic times Promotes presence and staying focused on the here and now Builds resilience (improving our capacity to handle challenging situations) Improves our self-worth and self-image All of this protects our general mental health

Grounding can also benefit our spiritual well-being as it helps us feel more connected to the earth and the universe. This helps us find spiritual faith and trust that we can lean in during difficult times.

Grounding Techniques To Connect To The Present Moment

So how do you become a grounded person? I recommend creating a grounding routine using the following practices and techniques.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to reground during physical or emotional discomfort. In particular, when we are experiencing physical pain, all we can think about is that. To make it worse, our mind starts to create horror stories and what-ifs that increase our anxiety levels further.

However, by consciously bringing awareness to your breathing, you can slowly shift your attention away from your mind and into your body. The breath is an anchor to the present moment, and each breath we are conscious of is one extra moment we stay in the here and now.

Five minutes of deep breathing is enough to quickly realign and return to your body. However, if you feel completely off balance, I recommend doing the Box breathing technique for 20 minutes.

Box breathing (also called square breathing) consists of breathing in for a count of 4, holding for 4, exhaling for 4, and holding for 4 before taking the next breath.

Clinic research found that a regular 15-minute practice of deep breathing can shift you from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight mode) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode). This triggers instant stress reduction and brings our emotions back into balance.

Walking In Nature

Walking in nature is an excellent way to quickly realign and clear your head. It is my go-to grounding activity whenever I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed. 

The more mindful you can remain when walking in nature, the more beneficial it will be. So simply focus on the sensation of the fresh air against your skin, the smell of the trees, and the sounds of the birds/

I also recommend walking barefoot, so your physical body connects to the natural ground. This is known as “earthing,” a therapeutic technique that electrically reconnects you to the earth.

Earthing is not a “woo-woo” practice invited by new-age practitioners. Instead, it is actually backed by science. When we walk barefoot outside, the electrical charges from the earth enter our bodies, resulting in various positive effects, such as improved mood and reduced inflammation.

One study found that earthing also had positive effects on our cardiovascular health. A different study found that connecting your feet to the ground may even help reduce chronic pain.

Other ways to practice earthing include lying on the ground, such as at a park or the beach, or submerging yourself in nature water like a lake or the ocean. There is also a more high-tech way to practice earthing, which we’ll discuss in the next section.

Using Grounding Equipment

How can you practice earthing if you live in a big city with minimal nature or somewhere with a freezing climate? The answer is using grounding equipment. Grounding mats, blankets, socks, and bands are an alternative way to practice grounding when you can’t access the potent energy of mother earth.

Earthing products act as an extension cord to the earth when you’re inside your home or workplace. They recreate the earth’s electrical charges, replenishing your electron balance while you work, sleep, or relax.

For example, with the Earthing Universal Mat, you can sit on it while eating dinner or watching TV, stand on it while cooking, or sleep on it. The mat is made from safe, non-toxic materials and is super easy to use.

There are also some fab grounded blankets like this one by Hooga. It has a soft and fuzzy composition interlaced with conductive silver fiber. It is connected to a 15-foot grounding cord that connects to a mains socket. Wrap it around you in bed or on the couch and enjoy feeling warm, cozy, and grounded.

Exercise

Exercising (especially outdoors) is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety and cultivate more presence. In addition, physical activity has been proven to help calm the mind and boost mood, reducing negative emotions and repetitive thoughts.

While all forms of exercise are good for our mental health, dense, earthy activities like running and weightlifting are the best for feeling a sense of grounding.

Meditation

Meditation is not just for connecting with the spirit or the divine. It helps us ground by increasing presence and focus and calming the mind.

There are also grounding techniques you can use in your meditation practice. For example:

Focus on feeling the connection of your body to the ground. Rest your hands on your knees with the palms facing down. Visualise energy coming up from the earth into your sitting bones, creating a solid, stable connection between your body and the ground. Visualize yourself sitting under a tree in a forest or lying on the beach. Feel the comforting grounding energy of nature wash over your body, creating space, ease, and calm in your being.

You don’t have to meditate for hours before you start to feel more grounded. Just a quick mediation session will make a huge difference in your mindset, significantly reducing the amount of repetitive and negative thoughts you were previously having.

Moreover, you will find tons of guided grounding meditations on Youtube that use the techniques mentioned above, like this one by The Mindful Movement.

Energy Healing For The Root Chakra

The root chakra (one of the seven major chakras) is responsible for our sense of safety, stability, and grounding. This chakra is associated with the earth element, and by working on this chakra, we can cultivate a deeper sense of centering.

You can do several things to heal and open the root chakra.

Practice grounding yoga poses, such as Tree Pose, Mountain Pose, Malasana, Standing Forward Fold, and Seated Forward Fold. Do a root chakra meditation – Envision red energy at the base of the spine, connecting you to the earth and infusing the body with feelings of calm, safety, and stability. While continuing this visualization, chant the root chakra mantra ‘Lam’ three times. Listen to root chakra healing music tuned to the frequency of 396 Hz.

Working With Crystals

Specific crystals are known to contain very grounding energy. Holding these stones while meditating, wearing them around your neck, or carrying them around in your handbag can help you stay grounded amidst the inevitable daily life’s challenges.

Hematite is one of the best crystals for grounding and earth connection. The potent black stone draws out negative energy and repels harmful electromagnetic frequencies. It also adds a protective layer to your aura, increases positivity, and stabilizes emotions.

Black Tourmaline is another potent stone that purifies all negative energy, offers protection, and promotes stability. In addition, it helps to diminish fears and insecurities by soothing your spirit and calming your mind.

Journaling

Journaling is a powerful tool for processing and letting go of negative emotions like anxiety and stress. By writing about your feelings, you clear your mind from the repetitive thoughts that keep you in the past or future. This grounding practice can feel incredibly cleansing and releasing.

If you struggle to put your feelings on paper, you can use journalling prompts like:

I am safe because… One thing I am grateful for right now is… Where in your body do you currently feel stress or tension? What is the most recurrent thought in your mind today? What part of my being needs some nurturing right now?

Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements we speak in the present tense to “trick” our minds into believing we already feel the way we want to. So if you’re feeling stressed, unsettled, or unsafe, repeating the following affirmations will help you cultivate more grounding and calming energy.

I am safe, supported, and grounded. I am like a tree, deeply rooted in the earth. I am not affected by chaos externally or internally; I remain calm at all times. I am present and connected to my body. I am calm, grounded, and at peace.  I feel supported by the earth and have faith in the universe. I fully trust the universe is guiding me in the right direction. I am nourished, supported, and energized by the earth. I feel at home in my body. I am free from fear and ooze peace and tranquility.

You can speak affirmations out loud in the mirror, in your mind while doing daily tasks like cooking or cleaning, or you can write them down. 

I recommend using affirmations daily, not just on incredibly stressful days. If you get into the habit of repeating affirmations every day, even if only for a few moments, you’ll soon notice a change in how you react to stressors.

Technology Detox

Lastly, one of the biggest reasons we feel so ungrounded in this day and age is from overuse of technology. We wake up and immediately stare at our phones as we eat breakfast and ride the bus to work. We then spend our entire working day sitting in front of a computer, then we come home and scroll through social media and watch the news.

With this much of our time consumed by technology, it’s no surprise we don’t feel connected to or supported by the earth. To counteractive this overuse of technology, we must take detoxes from time to time.

I know what you’re thinking; this is easier said than done. You’re right; it requires a hell of a lot of discipline, but taking a technology detox is the best way to “reset” your energetic balance.

A technology detox is best done in a nature-rich environment, so why not book a weekend trip to the mountains or a peaceful lake? Leave all your devices at home and spend time immersed in nature. You’ll return home feeling like a different person.

As a side note, if you feel addicted to your devices and feel the urge to check your notifications every minute, I highly recommend reading How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price. In this life-changing book, Catherine gives practical steps for breaking up with your phone and then recreating a healthier relationship with it.

Quick Hacks To Feel Grounded Instantly

You can also try many quick hacks to gain more control and calm in a minute or less. For example:

Run your hands under cold water. Wash your face with a cool washcloth. Take a bath or shower. Wrap your favorite blanket around you – I recommend a weighted one like this one from Uttermara. It weighs 15 lbs and is made from soft plush fleece, so it feels both dense and cozy. Go into your garden and hug a tree.

Final Thoughts On Staying Grounded Meaning

There are many easy ways to stay grounded; some are as simple as noticing your breath or stepping outside. However, in this fast-paced life, we forget to do these basic things, even though we know they are good for us.

Thus, staying grounded is about reconnecting to the simple things that make us feel peaceful and connected. So choose a few grounding techniques from this article, create your own short daily grounding routine, and enjoy the reconnection it brings.