ReLearning Human

Try this grounding exercise now. Grounding exercises like this one can help to ground us physically in the present when our mind starts wandering or our brain is sending off alarm bells telling us we're unsafe, even if we are safe. And this can be helpful to keep in our toolbox for those moments when we need to feel a little more regulated.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

We talk about being productive often, and it's usually in the context of work, errands, and more. But rest can be just as productive for us because if we avoid it, it can lead to burnout, excess stress and more.

And you don't have to earn rest or treat it as a reward for completing other tasks. So give yourself permission to rest today — it may be the most productive thing you can do for yourself and your brain and body will thank you.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

Grounding techniques like diaphragmatic breathing (also known as belly breathing) can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to help ground ourselves. With this breathing technique, we also use our abdominal muscles so that the whole respiratory system is in use.

By focusing on our breathing and the simple movement of our body as we breathe, it can both act as a distraction to calm ourselves down while also regulating our breathing.

Try this now. How does it feel?

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

When was the last time you checked in with yourself? It's important to check in with ourselves as oftentimes we forget to do so. Or when we're asked we typically answer with "I'm fine" or "I'm doing alright." But have you tried digging a little deeper?

Take a moment now and think about how are you doing — how you are really feeling. If you pay attention to how you're feeling, is there something you need that you haven't given yourself lately? Maybe it's rest, spending time with loved ones, or engaging with a hobby, but whatever it is try to prioritize those needs.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

Try this practice now. This grounding exercise can help ground us physically in the present moment, which can be helpful when our brains start wandering on to past or future worries. It can also help when our brains start sending off alarm bells telling us we're unsafe, even when we are maybe just sitting at a desk.

And you can keep this grounding exercise as part of your toolbox for those moments when you start to feel anxious and need help feeling a little more present and safer.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

Our days can be busy and we can get caught up with all the things that we need to do that it seems like taking a moment to rest is the last thing we can find time for. But if we don't rest, it can lead to higher levels of stress, burnout, and more.

So here is your reminder to find time to rest. This may be watching a comfort tv show, taking a nap, or engaging with a hobby, but whatever it is, find the time for it, you don't have to earn rest. Schedule it in if you have to. Your brain and body will thank you.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

Humming when we're stressed can help us regulate ourselves. This is because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is known to control our bodies functions at rest. But when we're stressed the sympathetic nervous system is activated for the fight-or-flight response.

Try this one now and see how it feels. You can also keep it in your toolbox for the next time you notice that you're feeling overwhelmed.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

Do you remember the last time you did nothing? Had no expectations for yourself and could just exist?

If you can't remember, that's OK, our days can be busy, always running from one thing to the next that we forget to slow down. When we talk about self-care we often think about exercise, certain routines, working on something, but doing nothing can be just as beneficial in taking care of our mental well-being. It can give us a break and allow us to slow down and just be without the expectations or thinking about all the stressors in our lives. So, spend some time today doing nothing.

This tense and release practice can be useful in lessening stress. When we're stressed we tend to store tension in our body, leading to muscle pain, headaches, and more. This practice helps to release some of that tension by focusing on tensing and releasing different muscles.

But sometimes we may need to ground ourselves and we don't have the space to work through different muscles, which is why we can also just focus on our hands briefly.

And you can keep this practice in your toolbox for other moments when you might need it.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.

We can get so caught up in the busyness of our day or other distractions that we forget to take a minute to just pause and be. So grant yourself that moment now. Take a deep breath in and let it go, stay in this moment for longer if you need. It's OK to slow down sometimes, it's important even.

If you're thinking of exploring therapy, you can connect with our therapists through the link in bio.

If you aren't ready to take this step yet, you can also visit the link in bio to access free mental health resources.