I recently came across an article called the F*ck It List, by Eric Byrnes. Eric was a pro baseball player turned endurance runner. He contends that standing barefoot on raw earth connects the brain to the memory of running through the grass barefoot as a kid. This is a universally happy memory for most people and remembering happy moments make us happier. Trust me, it’s science.
Thus, starting your day with a 2-5 minute happiness practice can set the tone for more happiness and reacting in a positive way to situations throughout the day.
I tried grounding yesterday morning and here is what I experienced.
#1. I actually felt better the minute I stepped onto the grass.
-Maybe it’s because I haven’t put my bare feet on grass in months..or decades. Maybe its because I grew up barefoot and the feeling was a release of nostalgic hormones but I, a skeptic…felt unexpectedly good.
#2. It got me stretching.
-Standing outside was nice, but I was restless after the first minute. I did lots of toe touches, side bends, deep squat holds, and hamstring stretches. I need to stretch more. I already deadlift more than Pete Iaboni, now I just need to be more Gumby-like than he is. I normally just get up an head out the door.
#3. I started my morning in the present.
-Instead of reading emails & Instagram posts on my phone, I was outside, breathing cool air and watching the sunrise. I took a ton of deep breaths because well, there isn’t much more to do when you’re not distracted. I ended up grounding for just under 10 minutes.
Feel Good Hormones, a healthy dose of stretching, and becoming literally grounded in the moment. I like this grounding thing. I don’t know how long I’ll stay with it. But I’m going to do it again tomorrow and keep it in my toolbox of healthy habits.
How to do it.
- Wake up.
- Get your necessary tasks out of the way. *Get kids moving, feed the dogs, drink some coffee or set it to brew. Not phone stuff. Nothing on that phone is necessary unless Gondor is calling for aid.
- Walk outside and find some earth. I prefer grass because I don’t want to wash my feet after I do this.
- Step on and set a stopwatch. Go for 2-5 minutes and breath deep.
- Try some stretches, meditation, contemplation, or aspirations/mantras.
- Go start your day.
