I’m feeling a bit wound up right now. I’ve been energised and excited about new projects this week and it’s meant that my ‘clock off’ hour as been creeping. It’s this weird thing I find that when I’m loving what I’m doing, it’s almost as if I need to pay extra special attention to how much I’m taking care of myself.

Have you ever found that? When you’re so caught up in a piece of work, or in complete flow with a project that it also translates into—less breaks, less deep breathes, and less self-care. One of my self-care practices is definitely walking. It’s not so much self-care as self-necessity really. When I don’t go for my walks, I feel anxious, all up in my head, my breathing is more shallow, and my digestion is impacted. Oh yes, and I’m probably all round a little more cranky with my boyfriend. No real reason, it’s just like I have heightened senses.

We all have our own ways to decompress, to unwind and to truly ‘ground’ as I call it. That feeling of feeling steady, stable, calm, peaceful. The same sensation you get after a super long juicy savasana in a yoga class, or after a massage.

Today, I didn’t pay enough attention to my grounding and I’m feeling it. It’s after 7pm and I’m still at my laptop. By choice. And because I love it. Yet it’s also the reason I’m feeling a bit wound up right now.

Here’s what I didn’t do today:

• I didn’t create enough space and consciousness for a lunch break (I ate, I just chatted to a friend the whole way through so didn’t really pause)
• I didn’t go for a walk (I got caught up finishing a few ideas, and then had a late call and before I knew it, it was late)
• I didn’t clear my desk before starting my day
• I didn’t create enough space in between calls with people

And here’s what I do to calm myself, to ground. The practices I know serve me so well and that when I do them they fill up my energy tank in a way that means I can focus on multiple projects, serve my clients, have lots of juicy conversations and connection time and still feel completely nourished, energised and calm.

• Move my body, go for a walk, do a yoga class, do both.
• Have breaks. Proper breaks. Breaks where I step away from my computer and actually breathe deeply.
• Get fresh air – go outside, whether that’s en route to a meeting, or simply to step outside on my balcony.
• Have prepared (or at least know what my options are) super nourishing meals and snacks throughout the day, ones that make me feel good and are right for my
• Spend time lying flat on the floor (aka savasana). Breathe.
• Spend time with my notebooks, scribble ideas. Be alone, me time, to simply allow my thoughts to wander.

Even though I know what to do it doesn’t mean I always do it. For me it’s a process of constantly showing up, acknowledging where I’m at and then finding my way back to a level of balance. Finding my way back to my grounded space. Because it’s from this space that I make my best decisions, I’m my most energised, and my most ‘me’.

What three things do you do that bring you back to balance? And, where in your life right now could you do with more of these things?

Feeling a little less wound up after reading this post? Awesome! Share it with a friend so they can feel the same too. ?