Fall Survival Guide: Some Simple Tips (& gifts!) to Feel More Grounded This Season
In the Northern hemisphere we just entered Autumn, and boy is it a doozy. If you’re feeling like you’re being blown around, like it’s hard to keep your feet on the ground, extra anxiety or worry, then this survival guide is for you! DO NOT feel like you need to add everything on this list, that would just increase the ungroundedness. Choose one or two things that you want to try, see how they make you feel, and then consider continuing them through the holiday season.
BODY
Here are a couple of ways to feel more grounded, starting with the body.
Oil your feet
Grab some sesame oil, warm it in your hands, and give yourself a foot massage. Then cover your feet in cozy socks. You can use the same sesame oil you have in your kitchen cupboard. If you use refined sesame oil it will have less of that sesame oil scent than unrefined. Oiling the feet helps to keep you feeling grounded and sesame oil has a warming quality to it. For an extra luxurious and grounding foot massage, watch this short video where I share how to gently warm up the oil using hot water.
Eat warm, soupy foods (soup, stew, porridge)
There is a reason we start craving soup, stews and chili in the Fall: they help to counteract the dryness that Fall brings. Consider it moisturizing your body from the inside out. In addition, the warmth and liquid helps to counteract the feeling of ungroundedness (vata) that is common this season and helps us feel more grounded.
Here’s my current go-to breakfast, inspired by this recipe from Hale Pule. (If you don’t like sweet potatoes, you probably won’t like this porridge.)
Sarah’s Sweet Potato Breakfast Porridge
Single serving
½-1 Japanese sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about as much as fits in your cupped hands
1 date, chopped
1-2T walnuts or pecans
1-2t ghee or coconut oil
Salt
Grated fresh ginger (or a shake of dried ginger)
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Maple syrup (optional)
The measurements are estimates because you will use what seems right for you. Heat a small pot on medium low and add the ghee or coconut oil. Once it’s melted, add a bit of salt, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. After about 30 seconds add the date and nuts and stir. Then add the sweet potato and stir. Add water to the pan up to about ½ the height of the potatoes. (We won’t be draining the water, so don’t add too much. You can always add more as they cook.) Cover the pot and let the potatoes cook on a low simmer for about 10 minutes (depending on the size of the potato chunks) until potatoes are soft and mashable. Check the potatoes a couple of times while they cook to see if they need more water. Turn off the heat, mash the potatoes, and serve. You can add a bit more ghee and/or maple syrup to taste.
MIND
We can also use the mind to help us feel more grounded. Here are two suggestions.
Avoid multitasking
I know that we live in a multitasking world, but it’s not actually good for our brains. Think of how you feel if while you are driving, you are also looking at a map on your phone, listening to the latest news, and trying to eat some lunch. Or maybe you try to eat lunch at your desk while you continue to work. That’s not good for your digestion and your brain won’t even register that you’ve eaten, so you’ll be hungry for a snack in early afternoon. You might be surprised that when you focus your attention on a single task, you’re able to get MORE done because that focus gets the task done quicker.
Taking time out
One of the best things we can do for an overactive mind is give it a time out. I’m not talking about a beer or a gummy and an evening of Netflix. I mean really letting your mind rest. That could be a good night’s sleep, an afternoon nap, or a guided meditation. In fact, here’s a meditation I created last year for this very purpose: Overcoming Overwhelm.
SPIRIT
When I think about grounding activities for my spirit, I think about connection. Spending time in nature, a phone call with a friend, even greeting dogs as I walk by them are all things that help to lift my spirit. For you it might be listening to a certain song, saying a prayer, reading poetry, or caring for your houseplants. Whatever it is, just make sure you are fully present while you’re doing it.
I hope that you found a suggestion or two on this list to help you feel more grounded this fall. If you’re wanting to dive a bit deeper, enjoy this 50% off coupon for my Yoga in Bed online course. If you’ve got 10-15 minutes and a bed, you’ve got time to practice yoga in bed! (Regular price is $35, 50% off price is $17.50. Once you purchase the Yoga in Bed course, you have access to it for the life of my online platform.Yoga in Bed is a one time purchase.)