You know that feeling just before the wheels of a plane touch down on the runway, when you are hovering unsteadily above the ground? That’s how I felt for weeks after returning home from two months of traveling.
I’ve felt good, and things have been going well, but my wheels haven’t quite touched the ground. If this is happening to you too due to travel, time changes, illness, or another personal struggle, I hope this little guide will help you feel more grounded and more at home (in your home, body and life).
1. Find a place for everything.
Unpack your suitcase if you’ve been traveling, start the laundry and find a place for everything. If you’ve been home but struggling with something other than travel, chances are things have gotten cluttered or messy. Take time to clean up, sort things out, and re-set to zero.
2. Dip back into your daily routines.
If your sleep schedule is off, and you’ve completely lost touch with your morning routine or other daily routines don’t expect to jump back in and pick up where you left off. Instead dip back in. For example, if you used to write 3 pages every morning, start with one. If you were going to a local yoga class everyday but it’s been awhile since you’ve been in the studio, dip back with a grounding practice at home.
3. Under-commit.
If you haven’t landed your plane, it’s probably the wrong time to commit to another flight. Edit your calendar if needed and say no. If you have trouble saying no, this will help.
4. Fast.
Take a little break from sugar, alcohol, the nightly news, reality tv, complaining or something else you may have been using to soothe or remove yourself from your current situation. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
5. Go overboard on self-care.
Face-masks, long walks, early bedtimes … do what ever it takes to take extra good care of yourself. Not judging your feelings or how long it’s taking to land your plane goes under the self-care category too. Giving yourself permission to feel what you feel is part of the grounding process.
6. Ask for help.
You don’t have to land your plane alone. Doesn’t every pilot have a co-pilot? Create a landing team by asking your family and friends for their patience, getting more professional help if you need it, or other treatments that may be helpful. Consider acupuncture, massage, restorative yoga, or other things to add to your treatment plan.
7. Move
Move your body, move your breath, move your furniture, move your appointments. When things are up in the air on the inside, they feel up in the air on the outside too. Big intentional breathing and stretching will bring you back to earth. Moving other items, like things in your home or on your calendar will help you feel more grounded on the outside, which in turn, will make you feel more grounded on the inside.
8. Trust that you will land.
I’ve hovered before, and gotten anxious about when I’ll land, what’s next, when things will be clear and when I’ll feel more at home. That anxiety delays the landing, so now when I feel the anxiety bubbling up, I remind myself that I always land.
I always touch down.
I always come home.
You will too.