Feeling Out of Sorts? Here Is How to Tune Back In

As the year ends, so many of us may feel just a tad or maybe very discombobulated.  When you add the holidays to the pressures of work and the everyday responsibilities of family life, it can sometimes be difficult to stay grounded. 

I can always tell when someone is out of their body just rushing along.  They have this distant look in their eyes.  They are in automatic mode.

I can almost see the wheels turning in their head as they check off their mental checklist or replay a disconcerting conversation or worry about the meeting coming up in the afternoon.  It's something I did for a long time in my leadership life.  I could live all day in my head without paying much attention to myself or my surroundings.  

Have you experienced this out of body feeling? Maybe you are tense or are holding your breath.  Or perhaps you can't quite tune in to yourself. Being out of touch with your body is just like your phone running out of battery.  Either you rush to get things done before you completely run out of juice or you do the minimum to conserve the little energy you have left. 

It is like you are in survival mode - disconnected and ungrounded.  

Signs That You Are Ungrounded

Some ways you can tell that you are unplugged, or ungrounded, include:

• over exaggerating your problems or over worrying about things that are not that important
• over reacting or getting angry easily about things that are not that big of a deal
• feeling off center and having difficulty making decisions or focusing on anything
• maybe you overcommit and then can't deliver on your promises

It is almost like you are running in circles and you never get to the end of the to do list.  You are impatient, frustrated, or even grumpy.

As humans, it is so helpful to be grounded.  It is the foundation for connecting to one another and the world around us.  When we are grounded, we can tune back in to both ourselves and to others.  

How To Get Plugged Back In

When you feel overwhelmed, it's not as hard as you might think to get plugged in again. 

If you can, start by pulling away from work or whatever you are doing for a few minutes to simply stand, stretch, and move.  You will be amazed at a brisk walk can do.  If you can get outdoors to catch some sun rays while you walk, even better.  

Next up, focus on what you see as you walk.  Name what is front of you.  Name what you hear, smell, and notice your breath as you walk.  One of my favorite tricks is to look for something that I have not noticed before on my walks.  What has been in front of you all of this time that you are just now seeing?

Doing this gets you out of your head and back into your body.  As you get more present with your surroundings and your physical self, your body helps you to tune back in.  Your body stops over producing cortisol and helps your nervous system get back to its normal state.  You reconnect to Earth. Your battery fills up again.

As you do this, notice how your awareness improves and how you can tune back in to your intuition and inner knowledge.  Notice how you feel sharper and the answers just come to you easier.  Notice how you are much more present in your conversations with others.

I, for one, am always much more focused and able to get in flow on days that I start with a walk or a run. Figure out what movement works best for you and remember that even a short walk will help you to tune back in.