What brings me back to centre

When the world brings chaos and conflict to my life, I have an array of things I can do to bring me back to my centre. Everybody's centre can be different. For me, being centred means that I am feeling calm, grounded, confident and grateful.

Having suffered throughout my life with depression and anxiety, I need a few things that I can do to bring me back to my centre. Maybe some of these can help you when you're feeling stressed or conflicted.:

• The very first thing I do is go back to my breath. Sometimes all I need to do is take a deep breath in and then exhale with a sigh to claim my centre. Other times I need something more, so I might try some box breathing (inhale for the count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4). It can help to close my eyes so I go inward, especially if what's causing me stress is external.

• If breath work isn't doing it for me, I may go for a walk, even just a five minute walk around my house. Whilst I'm walking I list 5 things I can see, 4 things I can hear, 3 things I can smell, 2 things I can feel and 1 thing I can taste. By the time I've finished this, I usually feel a lot more calm and centred.

• I talk about distraction therapy a lot to friends and family who find it hard to stay centred. Distraction therapy is using something to distract you from a repetitive thought or the feeling of overwhelm. So, it can be as simple as wearing a rubber band around your wrist and flicking it every time you can feel yourself spiralling or obsessing over a thought. Other things you can do are call a friend or family member, put on some upbeat music and dance, do some star jumps, sing, get up and get something to eat or drink, or watch a funny video. The possibilities are endless.

• One of the best ways to centre myself is to spend time with my nieces and nephews. Their conversations can really crack you up. They are such interesting people and they don't stay young for long, so I like to have a chat about anything they want to talk about, before they get too cool for Aunty Manda.

• As a juxtaposition to the above point, another one of my favourite ways to centre myself is to spend some time alone. I might go for a walk or head outside to sit in the sun and enjoy nature. Nature is the cure to all that ails me and when I'm feeling conflicted and stressed, one deep breath out amongst nature and I feel my body, mind and spirit coming back together.

• Lastly, if you're feeling uncentred because you are doing some spiritual work or have been spending too much time off with the fairies, then a great way to centre (and ground) yourself is to eat wholesome and nourishing food. Unprocessed food, food from the earth can really help you bring everything back into alignment.

Photo Credit: Magic Bowls - Unsplash

So, I hope some of these help you when you're feeling uncentred. Remember if these feelings are getting out of control or overwhelming you, there is external help. Find a Holistic Counsellor who you really gel with, or speak to your GP or Naturopath about who they would recommend. Everyone needs a helping hand sometime.

Until next time...