Look at nearly every headline today and you will think that the world has gone mad. Mental health is at an all-time low and the conversations we hear are often about how stressed and depressed our friends and neighbors feel. We pick up on this negativity and it tears apart our peace. However, we all have the power to overcome the negativity and navigate through to find balance and clarity.
Ground Yourself
When you ground yourself, you have a firm foundation. This is where you have balance and clarity. So, what is your firm foundation? How do you stay rooted when the world is falling to pieces around you? Let me share my story.
A Broken Heart and Home
Around 20 years ago, the unthinkable happened to me: my husband confessed that he loved me as well as another woman. Before I could try to fix it, he packed his bags and told me that he would leave and go somewhere to figure out what to do. He moved into her house. I had been suspecting something was wrong for a month, but I refused to believe that this could ever happen. Yet, here I was. We had 15 years of marriage and four children together, and I had believed that we were happy.
Every Ending is a New Beginning
My world seemed destroyed at the time. Daily tasks seemed meaningless, so I spent a lot of that time in my room crying. I had conversations with friends and family who tried to encourage me, so after a week I tried to put my best foot forward and pack his things to help him move out since that is what he wanted. Then he told me that he wanted the kids’ social security numbers because he was talking to a lawyer. I fell to pieces again. My home was falling apart all around me because my husband wanted a divorce.
My Firm Foundation
Over a period of months, I went through the torturous process of separation and divorce but I refused to be the victim. I had long believed that our love was my foundation, but I was wrong. My love for my family was my strength. When I changed this perspective, my goals changed and I worked proactively to protect my family and nourish it so that we could overcome this terrible event that disrupted our lives. I had lost my husband and the love that we had, but I found strength and love within myself to continue to love and protect my family. This helped me to find balance and clarity so I could ground myself.
Find your firm foundation
Everyone can find a firm foundation. We can ground ourselves in different ways. Some meditate and ground themselves by looking for peace deep within themselves. Guided meditation can also be very helpful. There are several that can be searched for on YouTube. As for anxiety and severe mental stress, I recommend techniques such as 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique for anxiety or the excellent article, Grounding techniques for Coping with PTSD and Anxiety. These are a good place to start, but check in with a mental health professional to seek consistent and therapeutic support when necessary.
Love yourself
The bottom line of my story and lesson is that you should always love yourself. You have value and worth. Always believe that you will find your way, even when times are difficult. The world may fall apart around you, but find a way to stay grounded and rooted. Finding strength will help keep balance and clarity in your life.
