As moms we have many moments in our days when we need to take a break and catch our breath. Unfortunately as special ed moms those moments are literally moments, and rarely turn into 20 or 30 minute breaks. I am starting a series of blogs to teach you how to take these Mom Moments and make the most of them.
Mom Moment #1 is a grounding technique that teaches you to feel your body. Oftentimes when we get super busy, our minds are so focused on what were are doing we lost touch with our physical self. It’s sort of like daydreaming. You’re all in your mind, and not in your body.
Feeling your body is all about brining your attention back to your body. Here are three simple grounding exercises you can do to get in touch with your body in just a few minutes.
Feel the Contours
Use your hand to gently feel all over your body. Do this with the intention of sensing your entire outer perimeter. Look in the mirror while tracing your boundaries, and see and feel the outer edge of your physical self.
Rediscover Gravity
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Lie still for a moment and sense the heaviness of your body as it presses against the surface you are on. Lift a limb and then let it drop, feeling it pulled back to earth by the weight of gravity. Do this several times with each limb, noticing the weight and pull with each lift. Now lift your head to an up position, and notice the muscles required to move it against gravity. Do not let your head fall quickly since this may harm your neck muscles.
Find the Boundary
Find yourself a large blanket and lay it out on your bed or the floor. Lay down on one end, grab the edge of the blanket and roll yourself up like a burrito. If you have a weight or heavy blanket, this works even better. Once you have yourself rolled up, close your eyes and feel the sensation of being bundled and safe. Stay here for at least 5 minutes.
Grounded for Life
I have created Grounded for Life, a set of 52 exercises for grounding. It is the perfect way to keep reminding yourself to reconnect with your body. Doing regular grounding helps you stay calm and get a mini-relaxation from the day-to-day business of being a Special Ed Mom.
