7 tips to help centre yourself
One of the things which I’ve always found to be really important, both in my personal life and my work as a coach, is the ability to centre yourself. Life can be overwhelming, frantic, even manic at times, particularly when we’re dealing with a lot of change, which most women are. Knowing how to find our inner peace and recentre ourselves not only helps to reduce anxiety and stress, it can also make us more focused, balanced, productive and less reactive to what’s going on around us. When we talk about being centred, we really just mean finding our way back to where we need to be.
There are lots of steps that we can take to help us feel more centred, and different techniques work for different people. Here are some of my favourites:
1. Breathing
“Breath is the link between mind and body.”
I’ve talked about the importance of getting our breathing right in other posts and I’ve even written a blog about it. Taking a few minutes each day to practice mindful breathing, or meditation, is one of the most valuable things you can do to help yourself to feel calmer, more grounded and in-the-moment. In the past, I didn’t think I had the time for mindfulness, but now I practise it as often as I can and I’m a total convert.
2. Change it up
“A change is as good as a rest.”
If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I find it really helpful to simply change my scenery, my location, even for just a couple of minutes. Sometimes I like to go and work in a coffee shop in town, or I might just go and stand outside to get some fresh air, smell the smells and look at the sky. I find that changing my environment and changing my location can really help to restore a feeling of calm, and offer a different perspective on whatever it is I’m going through at that time.
3. Find your feet
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”
This one might sound daft, but it’s really effective. All you need to do is take a moment to stand still - literally - with your feet firmly on the ground, and think about the sensations in your feet. When we’re stressed, anxious and facing change, it usually means that we’re over-thinking everything, and this can leave our heads spinning. This exercise takes the attention away from all of those thoughts by shifting our focus right down to ground level. Think about each of your toes in turn, what you can feel on the soles of your feet, whether they are hot, cold, or just right. If you can, try this exercise barefoot on some squishy grass. It feels wonderful and will have you right back at your centre in no time at all.
4. Get active
“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional and mental states.”
Anyone who knows me or follows my blogs will know that I’m a firm believer in moving your body. I don’t always take my own advice, but I know I should! It doesn’t matter what you do, whether it’s yoga, zumba, boxercise or a walk around the block with your four-legged friend: exercise helps us focus on what our bodies are doing, instead of whatever it is that’s whirling around inside our heads. It also helps digestion, supports healthy sleep and floods our bodies with happy hormones, reducing stress and guess what? Leaving us feeling more centred.
5. Sit in silence
“Silence is a source of great strength.”
There’s always a temptation to fill every space in our lives with activities, noise and entertainment: whether it’s listening to our favourite music, online shopping, messaging our friends, scrolling through Instagram or binge watching our latest Netflix obsession. Once in a while, just try filling some of that space with nothing at all: when you get a moment, put your feet up and enjoy just… sitting. You might be surprised how relaxed and centred doing nothing can make you feel!
6. Get back to nature
“Root yourself in this earth and it will root itself in you.”
This is one of my personal favourites. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed by changes that are happening in my life, I try to spend more time in nature. Taking a long walk in the country, or even just sitting on a bench in the park can be really restorative. Being in nature gives us a sense of being connected to something much bigger than whatever it is we’re currently facing.
7. Acknowledge your senses
“The five senses are the ministers of the soul.”
All you need to do is to identify something which relates to each of your senses individually. Ask yourself what you can see, hear, taste, touch and smell in that moment. This exercise is really just another form of mindfulness, of being aware of what’s happening in the here and now, but it’s a great trick if you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, stressed or anxious.
Life can be pretty crazy at times, and we’re often faced with change we can’t control, so why not try out some of these tips and see what works for you? It’s probably not realistic to think we can remain calm, confident, balanced and in control all the time, but it certainly helps to know how to get back to our centre when we need to.
