There was a time when I couldn’t really feel my body.
I could see it in the mirror. I could move through my day. But I felt disconnected—like I was floating just outside myself, watching life happen from a distance. Some days I was numb. Other days, everything felt like too much.
If you’ve lived through trauma, anxiety, or overwhelming stress, you might know this feeling too:
Being in your body doesn’t feel safe.
So your nervous system does what it’s designed to do—it checks out.
But healing starts with coming home to yourself. Not all at once. Not perfectly. But in small, steady moments of reconnection. That’s where grounding comes in.
In this post, I want to share a few grounding techniques that truly helped me reconnect with my body—and might help you too.
1. The 5-4-3-2-1 Method
This one’s a classic, and for good reason. It pulls you out of your racing mind and into the present moment using your senses.
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5 things you can see
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4 things you can touch
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3 things you can hear
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2 things you can smell
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1 thing you can taste
I’d do this while walking, lying in bed, or during a panic attack. Sometimes I’d whisper it aloud just to feel the sound of my own voice again. It reminded me: I’m here. I’m safe. I’m real.
2. Feet to the Floor
This one is beautifully simple.
Whenever I felt overwhelmed or started to dissociate, I’d sit down, press my feet flat on the ground, and really focus on the sensation:
The weight. The warmth. The support beneath me.
Sometimes I’d say quietly:
“My feet are on the floor. The floor is holding me. I am here.”
It’s amazing how powerful that can be—just remembering that the Earth is still beneath you.
3. Tactile Anchors (Like Ice or Texture)
When I felt numb or detached, I’d hold something with a distinct texture: a smooth stone, a piece of ice, a rough fabric, or even a rubber band on my wrist. The sensation helped me come back into my skin.
It might sound strange, but ice cubes were especially helpful during intense emotional flashbacks. The cold grounded me fast—without hurting me. It reminded me I was in the present, not the past.
4. Breath + Movement
At first, traditional meditation felt impossible. I couldn’t sit still with my body. So I started small: a single deep breath with intentional movement.
I’d stand up, stretch my arms overhead, and take a slow inhale. Then let it out as I brought my hands to my heart.
Eventually, I built a rhythm:
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Shake out the hands
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Roll the shoulders
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Sway side to side
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Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth
Even 30 seconds of mindful movement helped soften the freeze response in my body.
5. Scent-Based Grounding
Scents are deeply tied to memory and emotion. I started carrying calming essential oils in my bag—lavender, eucalyptus, or orange peel. When I felt anxious or detached, I’d inhale deeply from the bottle or place a drop on my wrist.
Smell brought me back fast.
It reminded me: I’m not where I was. I’m safe now.
6. Naming My Body Parts Out Loud
This one felt silly at first, but it worked. When I felt disconnected or started to float, I’d gently say out loud:
“These are my feet. These are my legs. This is my belly. These are my arms. This is my chest. This is my face.”
Sometimes I’d add:
“This is my body. It’s mine. And I’m coming back to it.”
Saying it out loud gave me a sense of ownership, a quiet strength, a reminder that this body has carried me through everything—and deserves care.
Final Thoughts: Reconnection Is a Practice, Not a Performance
Grounding isn’t about perfection. It’s not about being zen or having a flawless self-care routine. It’s about creating small rituals of safety—little moments of contact between your soul and your skin.
Some days, it works like magic. Other days, it’s a fight to feel anything. Both are okay.
The goal isn’t to force your way into your body. The goal is to gently return to it, again and again, until it feels like home.
And slowly—over time—it does.
If You’re Just Starting Out
Start small. Pick one technique. Try it for a few seconds a day. And remember: you don’t have to do this alone. Working with a trauma-informed therapist or somatic practitioner can offer you tools tailored to your experience.
Your body isn’t the enemy.
It’s the place where healing happens.
And you deserve to feel safe in it.
