Do you have racing thoughts? Sure, we all do! Our minds are like time machines. We are constantly in our heads traveling back to the past reliving memories or on a super highway in the future thinking about what could be. Many times it causes us anxiety especially if it’s trauma-based.
Having traumatic memories can really cause us to have racing thoughts throughout the day and into the night. Sadly, our racing thoughts continue overnight as we try to sleep. This truly becomes unhealthy for our overall mental health and well-being. We need to regroup and try to work things out in our minds to finally get peace and tranquility. To do this it is a good idea to do grounding techniques.
Grounding techniques are a different approach to assist us with different types of traumatic memories, daily worries, and stressors.
21 grounding techniques that will help calm your racing thoughts:
1. Listen to music. They say that music soothes the savage beast! I know for me it absolutely works. Create some playlists that can help you calm your racing thoughts so you always have access to it.
2. Being around your pets. I love dogs! Some like cats, turtles, fish, or birds. Love your pets and interact with them regularly. They have a natural way of calming us. Unless of course you have a destructive pet, then that’s a different show!
3. Find your happy place. Recognize your space that makes you content and go back to it when things are going sideways. Please don’t pick the Maldives as your happy place because this going to your happy place thing only works if you are near it. If you live in the Maldives, well then lucky you! lol
4. Visualization exercises. Use that beautiful brain of yours and envision yourself wherever the goodness is. You can visualize breathtaking waterfalls or a beautiful shoreline. You can water the water moving in your mind. This technique works really well in the moment. Think hard and tune everything else out.
5. Breathing exercises. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Box breathing is great for this. Breathe in and count to four, hold your breath, count to four, exhale and count to four, then again hold that for four. Repeat til you are calmer.
6. Mindfulness and meditation. This one can be wide open it’s all up to you. You can lay still and stay in the present moment as long as you can. If the traditional meditation methods don’t work for you then go for a walk. As you walk take in as much of the beautiful things along the way. Flowers, trees, the sky, cool cars, or buildings or all. Soak in the world around you.
7. Body scans. This one is pretty cool in my opinion all though I haven’t done it in a while. Sit in a comfortable position. Turn off any digital distractions. Start by envisioning you are a scanner and you close your eyes. Focus at the top of your head and work your way down to your neck. Make note how things feel along the way. Next, your arms, then your chest, and stomach all the way down to your toes. This will give you some time to distract the mind in hopes of calming those racing thoughts.
8. Warm baths. A warm-to-hot bath can be absolutely magical. Light a candle, turn out the lights, and just relax.
9. Positive affirmations. Repeating good statements can really help you feel better. Think of ones ahead of time and make a mental list. Go through them when you are troubled. Kind of like having a pep talk with yourself. It does a body good!
10. Stretching exercises. Get those muscles moving. Do yoga and fitness stuff.
11. Distract the mind. Some people clean their whole houses during times like these and it seems to work for them. I have ADHD so this is super easy!
12. Smelling beautiful aromas. Grandma’s cooking, the beautiful nature scents (if you aren’t allergic), or anything that really helps you.
13. Clench and release of the fists. This one can help in real times of stress but don’t punch anyone. The idea is to bring it back in. Try to think of good things as you do this.
14. Muscle relaxation. Go for a good massage or using a heating pad. Think happy thoughts to remove yourself from harmful thoughts.
15. Describing our surroundings. This is a good one too because it forces you to be in the moment. Describe anything and everything you see. Windows, doors, potted plants, get to the details of each as well. Wherever you are just pay attention to what’s around you.
16. Using the five senses. Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Use them all to get you grounded.
17. Laying on the ground. Lay flat somewhere that can help you relax. Laying in the grass can quite literally ground you to the earth. It is said that laying on the ground can help you neurologically.
18. Walking barefoot in nature. Similar to the one above.
19. Putting hands in water. Moving your hands in water can help you get out of the crazy thoughts. Soothing the mind.
20. Play a memory game. Play games like Rumicube or any other game that forces the brain to come up with a strategy to win. Fun, fun!
21. Create art. Make something beautiful! Or ugly, who cares right?! Throw some paint down on the canvas and drift off into whatever you like. Again, the idea is to distract the brain from its dialogue.
Conclusion
Grounding techniques work when you use them. So get started finding the things that help you and go back to them regularly when needed. Good luck!
Question
What would you add to this list?
