After reflecting on the past year I’ve noticed that I’m not the only one craving more purpose, simplicity, and new growth. If there ever was a year to put things into perspective, 2020 surely did it for me.
In my morning journaling, I’ve been asking myself do we need to be grounded to grow? And will being grounded make this year look different than the previous years?
While there are many things out of our control I believe we can regain our footing regardless of our circumstances–and the practice of grounding can help us do so.
I know that being grounded can mean many different things so I want to share with you what it means to me in the hope that it inspires you.
For me, being grounded starts in the garden. This was my path toward greater intentionality and it’s given me great meaning in life. However, there are many other tools that are catalysts to accomplish this as well–regardless of which tool you use to ground yourself, choose one so that you can experience life’s best moments and gifts.
But let’s pause for a moment and ask—what does it mean to be ungrounded?
A feeling of being ungrounded starts in your headspace or mindset. It may manifest in any of the following ways…
- Frustration about yourself and where you today
- Trouble getting traction with habits
- A feeling of being unbalanced because you know you’re not living a life most authentic to you
- A lack of direction makes it impossible to make a decision
- A lack of motivation to hop on the latest health and wellness trend
- Overwhelm with the stresses of life and competition in our society
- Confusion on where you should start so that the changes are finally sustainable
- Mindless purchases and an abundance of clutter to go along with it.
A sense of feeling grounded can help us move through these heavy thoughts and emotions.
Emotions are human, and we should face them head-on and allow them to play out–but they become a problem if they keep us stuck in the here and now (especially if you don’t like the here and now).
So do you want this year to look and feel different from previous years?
Do you want to get more enjoyment out of your life?
Would you like to get grounded in what matters most to you?
Past experience of my own and with clients has taught me, for growth to occur we must get ourselves grounded. And I believe one of the very best ways to do this is by starting in the garden. Yes, again another pitch for gardening.
Here are 10 simple reasons why you might want to embrace a garden:
- Feel an immediate sense of peace if you decide to kick off your shoes and feel the earth beneath your feet
- Have the opportunity to deepen your relationships–not only with the food you nurture and grow but with those you are growing it with
- Discover and appreciate how nature has it all figured out–if you pause and look around you can learn from all the miracles surrounding you
- Adopt more plants into your diet and understand the impact they play in your health journey
- Savor the meals you make with fresh nutritious foods that you nurtured (the food you grow always tastes better!)
- Enhance your meals with flavor and wholesome food
- Understand the impact of this simple hobby that gives back without all the materialism, consumerism, and additional clutter
- Feel good about making your mark on living sustainably and helping the planet a little too!
- Enjoy the mediative benefits of your new healing space.
- Cultivate a new understanding of how being outside and connecting to mother nature feels
I believe the garden is the gateway toward more purpose, simplicity, and new growth. It invites us to ground into what really matters most, offering us a life closer to what we truly are longing to live. When we open ourselves up to the potential of the garden, we’re able to root deeper into the meaning of our lives—and get clarity on the things that are distracting us from showing up 100%.
About the Author: Katie Oglesby is a Health and Garden Coach residing in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with her husband and two Springer Spaniels. Get to know more about getting your hands dirty, cleaning up your life and planting a vibrant garden at katieoglesby.com.