Grounding for Relief from Anxiety & Overwhelm for Highly Sensitive Moms

One thing that I am not a stranger to as a highly sensitive mom is feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. I’m talking about that feeling when the TV is too loud, when I’ve got 10,0000 things to make a decision about by tomorrow morning and somehow the dining room table I just cleaned off earlier in the day is covered in mail & other things that don’t belong there.

Have you been there mama?

This is a recipe for a screaming (or in my case, crying) mama if we don’t take care of ourselves in that moment.

It’s our job to equip ourselves with the skills to cope with anxiety & overwhelm AND to communicate what we need to our families. So I thought I’d share with you today one of my favorite strategies for feeling grounded and calm in moments of chaos.

5-4-3-2-1 Technique

This technique is a favorite of mine and many of my clients. The basic concept is to get out of the thoughts & physical sensations that are causing you to feel panicked & overwhelmed and instead bring yourself back to your body and the present moment through your five senses.

You look around and notice…

5 things you see

4 things you feel (touch feel not emotion feel)

3 things you hear

2 things you smell

1 thing you taste

Doing this helps you feel grounded in the present which takes you away from the worries & panicky thoughts in your mind. Do it a couple times if you need to. Afterwards you will most likely be feeling much calmer & much more able to make clear decisions.

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed - give it a try!