A Moment to Pause: A Simple Technique to Ground Yourself

Tonight, I carved out some time to do a worksheet that focused on clarifying goals for manifestation. I decided to begin with a short meditation because I need to switch gears from the noise of the day into a more intentional, inward space.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few centering techniques that help me move from scattered to grounded. One is something I picked up during the pandemic when Jay Shetty, author, former monk, and purpose coach, started sharing live meditations on social media. His calm presence and mindfullness techniques really resonated with me during those uncertain months, and I was happy to be reminded of one quite recently during an interview he did.

The technique is called the 5-4-3-2-1 Method—a grounding exercise he learned from a monk during his training. It’s meant to bring you into the present moment by tapping into your senses, and it’s particularly helpful if you're feeling anxious, overstimulated, or simply need to reset. I used it tonight and was reminded of how effective it is. It gently quiets the mind, slows the breath, and helps the nervous system return to balance.

Here’s how it works:

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Method

1. Get Comfortable

   Sit in a comfortable chair or lie on the floor. You can do this anywhere—your desk, your bed, a park bench.

2. Breathe

   With your eyes open, take a deep breath in. As you slowly exhale, begin to observe your surroundings.

3. Five Things You Can See

   Say them out loud or silently. Look around—notice the color of the walls, the trees through the window, the light in the room, the shapes, the textures.

4. Four Things You Can Feel

   Close your eyes and shift your attention inward. Notice the feeling of your clothes on your skin, the texture of the chair beneath you, wind against your face or your feet on the ground.

5. Three Things You Can Hear

   Listen carefully. Maybe it’s a fan humming, cars in the distance, music, or birds outside.

   
   

6. Two Things You Can Smell

   Take a deep breath in and notice what scents are in the air—perhaps your lotion, your coffee, or something cooking in the kitchen.

7. One Thing You Can Taste

   Maybe there's still a lingering taste of your last meal or a hint of mint from your toothpaste.

8. Come Back

   Take one more deep breath. Open your eyes. Let yourself be fully in this moment.

What I love about this practice is that you can do it anywhere, at any time, and it only takes a few minutes. Whether you're gearing up to write, stepping into a meeting, or feeling overwhelmed in the middle of your day, it’s a way to call all parts of yourself back into the moment.

As I moved into my journaling session tonight, I felt more present—less in my head and more in my body. It reminded me that these small practices matter. They set the tone, soften the edges, and invite clarity to emerge.

Let me know if you try it or have other grounding techniques you enjoy!