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Posted in Anxiety management, GAD, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 13 grounding and self soothing exercises for managing symptoms of anxiety

Posted on by Laura

Back when I was struggling with depression and anxiety, I learnt a number of grounding techniques to help me focus, keep calm or distract myself from my thoughts and feelings. Today, I want to share some of the ones I found most helpful and a few others which I’ve found online whilst researching today’s post, so that you can use them during difficult times. The exercises are best learnt when you’re experiencing good mental health so you can easily bring them to mind when you most need them.

What are grounding exercises?

Grounding exercises are techniques you can use to help with the feelings, thoughts and worries associated with anxiety. They help to manage your symptoms by providing a focus away from uncomfortable thoughts, memories and worries, by bring your attention to the present moment. There are quite a number of different types of exercises, so, I’ve picked a selection which of physical and mental techniques, plus some which are self soothing in nature.

Mental grounding techniques

Describe a daily routine

Choose something you do every day as part of your routines, for example, washing your face. Go through each step, in order and describe what to do as though you are giving instructions to someone else – First, turn on the hot tap at your bathroom sink. Keep running the water until it becomes quite warm. Put the plug in and fill the basin… and so on.

Play a memory game

Look at a detailed photograph, a painting on the wall or a page in a magazine. Turn over the image or look away from it and describe everything you remember in as much detail as possible. You can check to see how close you were to the features of the original but don’t worry if there were inaccuracies in your account!

Describe your surroundings

Spend a few minutes exploring your environment using all of your senses. Now describe your surroundings in as much detail as possible. For example, the wall to my left is painted a cream colour but there’s a sticky looking mark about three quarters of the way up, maybe where a poster has been displayed. The ground is very muddy and there are different colours of autumn leaves trodden into the path. The window is open and I can hear someone talking in the distance but I’m not sure what they are saying.

Create a category list

This is one I used to play in bed when I couldn’t sleep because of anxious thoughts. Choose a category or two e.g. flowers, things found at the beach, creative hobbies, places in the UK I’ve been to before etc. List as many items in the chosen category as you can. Repeat for another category.

Recall your favourites

Focus on your favourites and make a mental or physical list of them e.g. favourite ice cream flavour, favourite animal, favourite fragrance etc.

The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method

This one is incredibly popular and you may have read or heard about it before. It’s a simple technique that involves using your senses and is a great example of using mindfulness to calm yourself down:

Name 5 things you can see (a red cushion, a pile of leaflets, clouds in the sky)

Name 4 things you can hear (footsteps, birds singing, someone typing, a door banging)

Name 3 things you can feel (your hair against your neck, the hard seat you’re sitting on, a rough piece of skin on your hand, your soft jumper)

Name 2 things you can smell (fresh coffee, your hand cream, someone’s perfume)

Name 1 thing you can taste (a mint in your mouth, a sip of water, or, if nothing, something you would like to taste right now!)

Physical grounding techniques

Take a short and slow walk

Move with precision, feeling each part of your foot touching the ground, count your steps or notice the rhythm of your movements, do you sometimes feel off-balance, do you move your arms as you walk, does the ground feel hard or slightly soft. You can also try doing this barefoot.

Move your body

Perform simple actions such as stamping your feet, swinging your arms, marching, jumping on the spot, balancing on one leg etc. Explore how your body feels whilst doing each exercise and how you feel afterwards.

Alternatively, stretch different parts of your body and focus on how you feel. Mindful movements can combine to create what can be described as a moving meditation. This website provides some examples of stretches suitable for beginners who are in good physical health. If you have any physical health concerns, please get advice from your doctor before doing any form of exercise.

Put your hands in water

Fill up the sink with your choice of warm or cold water. Submerge your hands. Focus on the temperature. How does it feel on different parts of your hand. Does it feel the same on your fingers, palms and backs of your hands. Try moving your fingers under the water and explore how it feels. Now try the opposite end of the temperature scale. Compare with how it felt before. Alternate between warm and cold and explore how your hands feel.

Explore objects

Pick up and touch different items in your environment name them and describe how they feel e.g. cold, rough, spiky, soft etc. Next, describe the colour or colours – use precise names where you can such as turquoise and magenta rather than blue and pink.

Self-soothing grounding techniques

Enjoy a warm bath

Take a hot bath with bubbles, a scent that you love and a temperature that feels pleasant for you. Lie back, close your eyes and think about how the water feels against your skin. Now do the same for the bubbles. Inhale and enjoy the fragrance as lie there. Bathing mindfully like this will help to take your mind off your current anxieties and stresses.

Make a warm or cold drink to savour

Depending on the time of year, or your personal preferences, choose a soothing drink. Feel the warmth or coldness of the mug or class. Take a sip and think about how it feels and tastes in your mouth. When you swallow, can you feel the drink as it goes down? What effect is the drink having on your body?

Focus on your breath

Sitting quietly, with your eyes closed and focusing on your breathing is a great way to create a feeling of calm and relaxation. There are many different techniques for this, but personally, I prefer to keep it simple. This webpage on the getselfhelp website is a comprehensive written guide that provides instructions and advice to get you started. I recommend trying the method out a few times when you’re feeling okay, so you can get used to it and then it will come more easily to you during more difficult moments.

Final words…

I hope you’ve found the above ideas helpful and that you will give some of them a go to help with the symptoms of anxiety. You might like to print out some of the ideas or make a note of those which particularly appeal so that you are able to refer to them when needed. These are just some of the techniques for grounding yourself in the present moment and you’ll find others online or in books on anxiety management if you want to further your knowledge on the subject.

If you want to know more about the different aspects of anxiety before learning how to manage your symptoms, then I would recommend seeking the help of a professional who is trained in talking therapies. I do know, though, that the wait for such services can be lengthy so it’s good to speak to your doctor about your difficulties as soon as you can.

Posted in lifestyle, mental health, Mindfulness, Planning and journaling, reflective journalling, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 4 Ways to Destress after a Busy Day

Posted on by Laura
Photo from Unsplash

Most of us lead very busy lives and it can be incredibly difficult to switch off and relax in the evening in preparation for a good night’s sleep. Today, I’m sharing four excellent ways to wind down after a stressful or busy day. The following activities are great for your mental health and wellbeing and I’m going to be offering lots of different options to choose from depending on your preferences.

Do a journalling activity

After a busy or particularly stressful day, it can often be super difficult to calm our mind. Your head can be full of all kinds of clutter in the form of thoughts (both positive and negative), ideas or feelings. Maybe you’re busy analysing or deconstructing everything that has happened and going through things that were said. Perhaps you’re worrying about your mounting to do list and what didn’t get crossed off today because of x,y and z which took priority. Or, you might be looking towards tomorrow, thinking about the events in your diary or how you can be super productive and get more done whilst making it a calmer, less stress inducing day. If any of the above apply, you might be wondering if you will ever be able to switch off and sleep tonight. This is where getting your thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto paper can be super helpful. Just ten minutes of free flow or structured journal writing can make all the difference.

I learnt the following method for putting the day to rest when I was teaching, when every day was a busy day and I was really struggling to relax and sleep.

Putting the day to rest activity

  • Set aside 20 minutes in the early evening (I used to do this at 7.30pm)
  • Sit down somewhere quiet
  • Think about your day today and how it has gone, what you did and how you feel about it
  • Write it down in bullet points or free writing if you prefer
  • Write down anything you didn’t get done off your to-do list
  • Think about tomorrow – do you have any particular events coming up? what are looking forward to? are there any worries you have about what’s happening?
  • Write down a loose or structured plan for your day depending on your own needs (you can always modify this as you learn what works best for you.
  • When it comes to later evening and bedtime, if thoughts about today or tomorrow pop into your head, remind yourself that you’ve already evaluated your day and planned for tomorrow, so you don’t need to think about it any more.
  • If new thoughts come into your head at bedtime, jot them down on a piece of paper or on a notepad.

Other types of prompt based journalling might also work for you and there are some lovely ones on the market which can be used before bed. I’m a big fan of The Five Minute Journal but there are plenty of much cheaper options if this doesn’t fit with your budget. How much you want to write is up to you but it’s good to develop a consistent practice which becomes a positive habit to end your work time or day with.

Try a Mindful or Meditative Practice

Any type of activity that requires a high level of concentration and uses different senses is great for helping you to forget about the busyness of your day. Here’s some ideas for mindful and meditative activities which you might like to try:

  • Meditation – this can simply be sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing or using a guided practice. I recently found this account on YouTube that has some lovely ones with different foci that you mind find helpful. When choosing a guided session, it’s important to find someone who’s voice you find soothing and relaxing so you might like to try out a few to establish your preferences.
  • Crafting – there are so many different crafting options such as papercrafting, watercolour painting, knitting, sewing, crochet, model making and so on – why not give a few beginner projects a go to see which you prefer.
  • Some kind of puzzle e.g. a jigsaw, wordsearch, crossword etc. – great for keeping your mind active
  • Games – this could be something on your computer that you play by yourself such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Word Cookies or Patience, or one you play with others such as Boggle, Yahtzee, Gin Rummy, Scrabble or Jenga.
  • Enjoy a scented bubble bath and use your senses to fully appreciate the experience.
  • Cook a meal from scratch – measure out your ingredients with care, fully engaged with chopping / dicing / peeling etc, smell the different flavours as the dish cooks, taste the mixture to check the seasoning and so on. Mindfully enjoy the results at your dining table. Share your experience with others.
  • Watch something engaging on TV – comedy, drama, nature, historical interest or reality. Whatever you enjoy, give it your full attention and leave your phone or tablet in another room so you don’t get distracted. If you’re anything like me at this time of year, you’ll want to get your PJs on and snuggle under a warm blanket with your feet up for this one!

Read a book or magazine

Spending time reading a novel, information book, or favourite magazine is a great way to unwind and get yourself all relaxed and ready for bed. I love Psychologies magazine, as it’s full of positive ideas, and I can learn new ways of managing mental health and wellbeing at the same time.

Some people argue that you shouldn’t read in bed, but I find reading a few chapters of my Kindle novel (or for about 30 minutes) helps me to drift off really quickly. Try reading just before bed and reading in bed to see which works best for you.

Spend quality time with a loved one

Arranging an after work activity to do with a co-worker, friend, family member or partner can also help us destress. This could involve going out for an after-work drink, doing an evening class, watching a film at the cinema, seeing a comedy show or visiting a new or favourite restaurant. Alternatively, you might plan something fun to do together at home such as making popcorn to eat whilst watching a film, playing a board game or learning something new such as massage or reflexology.

Spending time with a pet is also great way to destress and calm the mind. This could include something you know they enjoy such as throwing a ball for your dog to catch at your local park (depending on the time of year), stroking your cat as they sit curled up on your knee, or watching your hamster as they zip around the house in their exercise ball.

Final words…

So there you have it, four ways to take yourself out of work/busy mode and into a relaxed state for the evening. I hope today’s post has given you food for thought and you’ll try one or two of the activities listed to see how they help. If you have any other preferences for your wind down routine, let me know in the comments.

Posted in art, bullet journal, Bullet journaling, creativity, lifestyle, Planning and journaling, watercolour painting

Setting up my Bullet Journal for January 2024: Watercolour winter scene and snowflakes theme

Posted on by Laura

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re all having a good 2024 so far. I’m very late sharing my bullet journal spreads for this month for several reasons – one, we were away for Christmas and so I didn’t get out my paints until NYE, and two, the print and cut hack for making stickers using the Cricut Joy doesn’t work anymore and so I’ve resorted to purchasing the Cricut Xtra which is due to arrive today, the 4th January, with a view to creating some text stickers for my spreads.

Anyway, I hope you like the theme and the watercolour bits and pieces which I had great fun creating. On to the pages…

Front cover

Having chosen the theme, I did a bit of Googling, looking for winter scene watercolour painting and I found this gorgeous design on a blog post from way back in 2014. This inspired my front cover but I changed the colours up a bit. The trees were painted first using Intense Green (AKA phthalo green) mixed with a small amount of Payne’s Grey and Vandyke brown and a tiny bit of grey. When that was completely dry, I created the snowy ground using very watered down grey. Then, after drying, I mixed a range of blues for the sky. Whilst still wet, I used coarse salt sprinkles to create the snowy effect. Finally, I used white gouache for the snow on the trees and then paint flicks to give the idea of falling snow.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

The original watercolour was then scanned in using my printer and I pasted it into an MS Publisher A5 page and added the January 2024 title. The colours never look the same as the original, but I’m still happy with how it turned out.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

The calendar

My husband and I had a go at creating a blue background with salt sprinkles on New Years Eve! We enjoyed experimenting, and it was a great, relaxing activity to do in the evening and helped us to stay awake to see in the new year. Again, the piece was scanned in and this time, it was used to cover the whole page. I then cut out the calendar shape using some dot grid paper which I then positioned in a location on the pages which was close to where it would have been if I could see the dot grid. The titles were created using Cricut Design Space and printed when my machine eventually arrived!

When I’d finished it, I felt like something was missing so I used Design Space again to make lots of snowflake stickers in different sizes. I’ve done a snowflake theme in January previously, but this one looks very different so I don’t feel like I’m repeating designs.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Finances spread

My finances record is still working really well so I’ve kept to the same layout but changed the decor to go with my theme for January. I love the little watercolour scene I found on Design Space to make into a sticker!

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

TV watched record

I create one of these every quarter or so to record the series that I’ve watched on TV. This time, I’ve added a date column so I can see, at a glance, when we started watching each series. There’s already some great stuff on TV for January and we’re loving the black comedy / drama of season 2 of The Tourist. The genres are taken from IMDB.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Weekly Plans

I went for another Dutch door layout this month and used a second print out of my watercolour background to create page borders to either side. I couldn’t resist adding some more snowflake stickers.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Veganuary meal planning

My husband and I have been doing Veganuary, where you go vegan for the month of January for quite a few years now. We try to create a meal plan each week as this helps when we go shopping. We also try to do more homemade meals which are packed with nutritious veggies.

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Final words…

I hope you’ve enjoyed looking at my spreads for this month. At the moment, January is proving to be more wet than snowy and our little garden is looking a bit soggy and flooded. I must say, I love pretty winter scenes with snow and sparkling frost but it’s not so much fun trying to drive in such conditions so I have mixed feelings about the weather at this time of year.

Wishing you a fantastic 2024,

Posted in fitness, goal setting, lifestyle, mindset, Planning and journaling, wellbeing

Monday Matters: 4 tips for getting started on your fitness journey and staying motivated

Posted on by Laura
Image from Pixabay

Many of us, as part of our new year’s resolutions each year, set goals to get fit. We start off with good intentions, joining the gym or attending exercise classes but oftentimes, our motivation isn’t maintained and by February, our workouts have dwindled and other priorities have come to the fore. As someone who has been a member of a local gym for over a year and a half, with a routine that includes at least seven workouts per week, I thought I’d share a small number of tips to help you get started with your fitness journey and maintain the motivation to keep going. So, let’s get started…

Set clear goals

Some people set the vague goal ‘get fit’ without considering what that statement means to them, how they’re going to do it and why. A much better approach is to use the S.M.A.R.T. goals system. I wrote a really comprehensive blog post on this quite a while ago which includes some useful questions to consider to get you thinking about why the goal is important, what your life will look like when you reach your goal and how you will go about working towards it. I also provide an example, which, whilst not fitness related, should help you with goal setting and goal getting.

Using your bullet journal or a dedicated notebook for the particular goal or goal getting in general can provide a useful record of your intentions, how far you’ve come so far or a space to record your experiences, successes and difficulties along the way. It can also help with accountability.

Creating a vision board which focuses on your fitness goals and includes motivational images and positive phrases or quotes can also help towards manifesting the fitness lifestyle you desire. This can be created digitally and used as your screensaver on your computer or can be paper-based and maybe created using images and words cut out of health, fitness and wellbeing magazines.

Consider any clothing and equipment required

If you’re serious about increasing your fitness levels, purchasing some dedicated workout gear and some basic equipment can really help in terms of motivation. I got a number of outfits for my gym sessions and my weekend walks and I spent quite a while choosing items in my favourite colours which fit beautifully and make me feel confident and well supported. This included sports bras for my aerobic sessions, moisture wicking tops which don’t expose my skin during downward facing dog and leggings which are fitted but not too tight as to feel uncomfortable or roll down during my exercise routines. I also got several pairs of hiking shoes for winter walks and lots of layers for warmth whilst out in the countryside. I didn’t get everything straightaway but have built up my collection based on my changing needs as I try and love different forms of exercise.

As I practise Iyengar yoga, I’ve invested in a mat, blocks, bricks and a belt for my practice. I also use some of this equipment in my Pilates and legs, bums and tums classes too so figured it was a good investment. Although the gym provides bits and pieces for the sessions, I find having my own things beneficial and it also means, if I miss a class, I can find a workout on YouTube to do some exercise at home.

Create an active lifestyle

If getting fit and staying fit are important to you, you’ll need to create an active lifestyle where exercise becomes a key part of your daily routine and something which you enjoy and thrive on. Yes, there will be days when you don’t feel like it and have to push yourself to get your exercise gear on and do a session, or times when you recognise the need to have a rest if you feel under the weather or think you might have over-exerted yourself, but on the whole, you’ll feel motivated and ready to go. A huge part of this involves choosing forms of exercise that you love and make you feel good. For example, when I started exercising, I would go to the gym at least 3 times a week to work on the cardio machines and the resistance training machines. My routine gave me a good full body workout, but I much preferred the social element of going to classes, getting chatting to various others who enjoyed exercise and fitness and developing friendships over the weeks. I now go to at least one class everyday and use the gym occasionally. I still do activities which work my whole body and I have maintained my motivation for different forms of exercise over several years now.

Sometimes, on busy days, when I’m working at the university or I have other plans, I have to cancel one or more of my classes. However, I will always make time to fit in exercise, even if it’s just 20 minutes of stretching at home or a face paced walk in nature or around the block.

Having a back-up plan for when you haven’t got time to do an hour long class or your usual hour and a half in the gym can really help and writing it down in the aforementioned notebook or journal can keep you consistent. This could include having a bank of videos saved on YouTube that you dip into or a selection of infographics showing stretch routines on Pinterest. You might also schedule in an early morning walk as part of your routine for that day or plan a long hike for the weekend when you don’t have so many other commitments.

Cultivate a positive mindset

A positive mindset can help you celebrate your progress and achievements, assess and overcome any setbacks and maintain motivation. Rather than focusing on what you didn’t achieve in a given week, celebrate the workouts you did do and how you felt afterwards. Look for signs of improved strength, flexibility and stamina and write down these wins in your notebook or journal. Draw up a list of rewards such as new fitness gear, a fun activity that you haven’t done for ages or have been meaning to try e.g. canoeing, surfing, bowling, kite flying, frisbee etc. or a pretty decorative item for your home.

“Studies have shown that if you have a ‘growth mindset’ – the belief that your abilities and skills can be improved – then you will have more effective workouts.

Put simply – it’s positive thinking. Believe you can, and you will.” (Why your mindset matters article on Metro.co.uk.)

Final words…

I hope you’ve found today’s blog post beneficial and it has given you some beginner friendly ideas for starting out on your fitness journey and keeping up the good work. When you begin, you might like to try out lots of different exercise options and then modify your routine based on your preferences. I’ve found I love dance based aerobic classes like zumba and clubbercise, but also enjoy more mindful practices like yoga and Pilates too. In the future, I would like to include more targeted upper body exercises to increase my strength in this area, but for now, I’m happy with the way things are progressing in terms of my general fitness and core strength.

Let me know in the comments if you plan on working on fitness and exercise related goals for 2024 and what you’ve taken away from today’s article to help you on your journey. Alongside your plans, you might like to consider dietary tweaks too in a way which compliments your fitness lifestyle and ensures better physical and mental health overall, for now and in the future.