Ash Wednesday! Ground 1

Wow this warm weather huh?! I feel both amazing because of the increased levels of vitamin D and Serotonin, and yet I am still terrified of global warming, and you should be too. That being said, it's back to shorts, skirts, and dresses at least for this week. I get a-lot of unwanted questions about my legs, specifically my leg tattoos. I would like to once again focus on my shin tattoos, The Cape May LightHouse, and a scene depicting the dessert of Joshua Tree State Park in California. ( Where I fully intend to die) Both these tattoos, while they do represent huge monumental travel opportunities in my life, have a whole other meaning. We have the East and West coast represented, but what does a Lighthouse and a tree have in common? They both anchor you to the ground. Where they are both things that are rooted into the earth, I can always look down if I feel myself start to float up into my head too much. Call it what you want, it's one hell of a reminder to sit down. Shut up, be grateful, and get grounded. 

Clearly I wasn’t so grounded the other day, when I am in my head too much I get mad and clumsy. 

What does grounding mean to me? Grounding is just a way that I redirect my focus on to something else if my mind starts to trail off into a place I don't want to go. I literally have all the control in the world. That being said here are 10 ways I get grounded, when I start to go too into myself: 

1. I put my hands, or feet in water. Actually as soon as I get home from work if I don't rush outside to see if Banner is outside, I'll practically throw myself in the shower. The water is super cleansing and pretty much sloshes all of the days stress, and anxieties that have built up over the day. 
2. I’ll pick up an object near me and either hold it or put it in my back pocket. If you have ever been on a walk, or went to the beach with me you’ll most likely see me slip a stone or shell in my pocket. I have a huge amount of these. Just a reminder that everything is real, like that scene in inception. 
3. DEEP ASS YOGA BREATHING. I have been doing yoga since I was 12. Yes I am very flexible, and no I don't need a strap. My yoga mat is just in my room at all times that way I can practice in small increments. Smart or a novelty rug you decide.  
4. Savor a drink, or a snack. This one is easy for me to do- especially at work I am sipping on all kinds of stuff, coffee, tea, lemonade, and my recent favorite grapefruit juice and some seltzer. The bubbles help if I feel any sort of anxiety creep up, and lemons, all the lemons I could ever want. 
5. Take a walk, actually why didn’t I put this at number one? I live in a town where I can walk pretty much anywhere. It's pretty great actually to not have to drive, but I also use that as a grounding technique as well. Throw on some music and just drive 2+ hrs in any direction. 
6. Light a candle, or throw some essential oils in a diffuser. This one is a no brainer. I love candles. I'll sit there all damn day and find the perfect one. The one I am burning has white sage and lavender in it. I have been both obsessed with lavender, but best believe I am sage in as I am aging. 
7. Play a memory game, it's a running joke at work. I'll not only remember your name, your usual order, but we usually pick up on the convention from the last time you came in. Steal trap mother fucker, I don't forget anything. But I love games, mostly trivia- so anything with memorizing patterns and sequences I am all game, literally. 
8.  Visualize your goals for the day and write them down. I live and die by my calendar. It's very useful. More people should use it. 
9. Describe what's around you and what you see. I do this a-lot when I go for walks lately. I have been looking at the ground, the other day I found a huge snail shell on the canal, and 40 bucks that went towards a really nice dinner for myself. Not a bad day; 
10. Finally I am a big believer of comfort, I sleep with 7 blankets, one of which is weighted, and a stuffed cow, I finally got my room the right amount of plants, the air has never been cleaner in my room and I am a huge believer in creating a comfortable space. 


11. I'll see you next weds hopefully much more on the ground! 
    
    ​Ash.​