On a recent episode of “Starting Over” (a UPN20 show about women working with life coaches to make changes in their lives), one of the coaches had the women sit on an exercise ball during their group discussion.  The topic of their discussion was about maintaining your core strength and balance.  So, the ball was obviously a great illustration of her point.

In life, core strength is a product of the tools (values, beliefs, emotions, commitments, habits, goals, dreams) that help us stand tall and stay strong as we make decisions.  If we can stay grounded and focused, we will use these tools to their greatest benefit.  So, it’s important to do some form of balancing exercise each day to maintain that grounding and focus.

Take a look at the following questionnaire.  Each of these habits is something that actually takes us away from being grounded and balanced.  How grounded are you?  How many items did you mark as TRUE?  Which of these habits would you like to change?  Would you like to be more grounded?  What can you do to consistently be more grounded?  This questionnaire is simply a tool to give us a better idea of where and how we currently stand.  Rather than beating ourselves up because we aren’t as grounded as we’d like to be....we can use this tool to help us take small steps toward creating new, more grounding habits.

There are actually many things that you can do to become more grounded.  The important thing is to try and do something each and very day.  This will teach you how to consistently find your balance.  There are silent meditations, guided meditations or visualizations.  You can ground yourself through journaling or through music....by sitting quietly and just listening to a special song...or by playing music yourself.  You can do a form of moving meditation...walking, gardening, cooking, taking a yoga class...or, one of my favorites, cycling.  You can practice your deep belly breathing.  You can even become more grounded through the use of your senses...by paying more attention to the things you see, smell, taste, hear, or touch.  The thing to remember is that you are simply taking time for yourself...time to help you become more aware in the moment, to refocus on what’s important to you, and to prepare you for your next steps.

Another useful technique is to be able to “ground” yourself in the moment.  When you are in a situation where you feel yourself getting pulled into the chaos of life, where you feel distracted, or you simply can’t sit still and relax...try this quick grounding exercise:  Place your feet flat on the floor and breathe in deeply.  On the exhale, imagine all that restless, excess energy flowing out of your feet and into the Earth.  Keep breathing in this manner until you feel calm.  Your feet may feel very heavy or you may sense a tingling or flowing sensation after doing this exercise.

“How Grounded am I?” Questionnaire

 
The more grounded we are, the more naturally life will seem to flow.  There are many activities* that affect our ability to stay grounded.  Read the following statements and indicate whether the statement is generally T (true) or F (false) for you.

 
________        I spend a large amount of my time “on the road” (air, car, train, etc…).

________        I think about the past or the future a lot.

________        I tend to over-commit to projects and people.

________        I often find that my breathing is shallow.

________        I eat while standing up, walking or on the run.

________        I spend excessive amounts of time on the computer or the internet.

________        I frequently drive over the speed limit.

________        I often feel disorganized.

________        I watch movies that are over-stimulating or upsetting to my emotions.

________        I’m always running behind

________        I will often interrupt or talk over others.

________        I consume beverages and foods that contain sugar or caffeine.

________        I have sporadic eating habits.

________        I lack an appropriate structure for scheduling my time.

________        I have difficulty connecting to the sensations and feelings in my feet / legs.

________        I worry about my finances and my abilities to perform.

________        I forget important dates and/or details.

________        I consistently arrive for appointments in the "nick of time."

________        I frequently notice myself talking very fast.

________        I generally have poor self-care habits

________        I often find myself craving a boost of sugar or caffeine.

________        I will often over book my schedule.

________        I rarely do any form of physical activity.

________        I find myself multi-tasking on a regular basis.

________        My mind frequently wanders from the task at hand.

 Copyright 2006 © Spiral of Life Coaching – Laurie Valaer