Working out mentally is not about overthinking, ruminating or playing a scene over and over again in your mind. It’s about training your awareness muscle to shift away from the constant mental noise and come back to the present moment. 

As humans, we get caught in our heads riding the rollercoaster of worry, predicting and overanalyzing. When we engage in this mental gymnastics, we feel ungrounded, anxious, depressed and overwhelmed. “Working out” mentally means practicing ways to interrupt this cycle by engaging your awareness and grounding techniques. 

People who might want to start using this practice:

Overthinkers 

• Constantly replaying conversations, “what if’s” and decisions in their mind
• Struggle to relax or be present even in times of quiet and calm
  

Perfectionists & high-achievers 

• Always doing even if there is nothing to do
• Unrealistic expectations of self and others
• Finds rest difficult or even feels guilt when resting 

Recovering from burn-out

• Feels emotionally and physically depleted but are still in “go” mode
• Need to slow down but are unsure how 

Emotionally numb and disconnected

• Says things like “I don’t know how I feel” 
• Feels muted, numb or disconnected 
• Tends to shut-down, zone out when overwhelmed 

Reactive

• Reacts disproportionately and is confused by their reactions
• Struggle with lying, knee-jerk reactions and getting in their own way 

There are a number of ways to ground and for this post, we will focus on the somatic perspective. The following exercise will help you get out of your mind and into your body in order to actually feel and process those feelings humming under the surface. 

A simple somatic exercise:

1. Pause for just a moment. It doesn’t matter whether you are sitting or standing. Just pause. Take a deep inhale and long slow exhale – maybe an audible sigh. If it feels right for you, you can keep breathing in and out at your own natural rhythm. Maybe this is the first breath you have taken all day – linger here if you want to. This is at your pace.
   
2. Bring your attention to your feet. How do your feet feel right now? Are they cold or warm? Resting or tense? Just notice how your feet feel right now.
   
3. Move your attention upwards into your ankles, calves, shins, knees and thighs. How do they feel? Is there a sense of relaxation or tension? Lightness or heaviness? Without going into problem-solving or fixing, just label how these parts of you feel right now.
   
4. Keep scanning upwards into your hips, stomach and torso. Maybe you can place a hand on your belly or over your heart to feel the rise and fall of your body as it breathes.
   
5. Move to your shoulders, neck and jaw. If there is tension that’s OK, just notice it. If it feels right to adjust or soften here or any other parts of your body, please do so.
   
6. Finally, notice your face. Is your brow furrowed? Are you clenching your jaw? Can you relax your body by just 1%? 

How do you feel now? Better…worse? Just notice the impact that getting back into your body has. You can use this exercise anytime when you find yourself getting wrapped up in your own mental drama. You have control over how you respond when your mind is moving at a rapid pace. 

Was this helpful and are you interested in more exercises to help you get rid of your mental clutter? Check out more here 

Authored by Annie Amirault, RSW & Co-Founder of ReLearning Human