Taking a Closer Look at Vital Belief #1: Grounding

By Pamela Chapman

Like all of you, I deal with life’s ups and downs. I welcome and celebrate the good.  I deal with frustrations, stresses, and challenges. You know? Life! The steps, suggestions, and keys I share are always from my life experiences and my overcoming in spite of challenges.

In my last blog, I shared five vital beliefs to achieving success in 2010. For the next few writings, I’d like to go into the details of each of those beliefs. Let’s look at my first vital belief, grounding, and why I stick with it 95% of the time.

There are days when I’m required to attend a very early-morning meeting. These days are often difficult for me for a couple of reasons. First of all, I’m not a morning person. It’s not uncommon to get an email from me at 11:30 at night. If I’m required to be at a meeting by 8:00 AM, I’ve got to get out of bed by 6:00 AM. Sometimes that’s only a few hours after I’ve climbed into bed. Secondly, I’m living in Colorado and right now it’s ridiculously cold. I lived 29 years of my life in Southern California, and there isn’t a cold day that goes by where I’m not asking, “What in God’s name am I doing here?” And that’s the honest truth. I’m much more appreciative of this state in the summer months. So, grounding at 6:00 AM with a thermostat set at 65 degrees just doesn’t cut it.

Then I have those mornings where, having had a late-date night with work and still having deadlines to meet, I jump out of bed and rush past my Labradoodle, Jessie, and just say hey. I then jump in and out of my shower; I have a quick bite and then dash downstairs to my office, planting myself in front of my PC.

Now, can I be honest? Come closer. I’ll share a secret. These types of days are the worst. They’re chaotic, and frustration rules. I’m not at the top of my game. I’ve got my to-do list and my deadlines. I think I’m working, but it’s more like circling. I forget where I’ve placed things, my thoughts seem fragmented, and interruptions are frequent. My friends all seem to call and want to chat for long periods of time, my precious Jessie barks incessantly, and mother, bless her 86-year-old-heart, seems to need special attention. I usually wind up agitated, aggravated, and alienated—no doubt.

It’s on those days that I don’t ground that I wind up asking all the rhetorical questions.  Why am I here? What does it matter? Why does or doesn’t anyone else care? I end my day tired and depleted, and my to-do list is undone. So why do I believe grounding is vital? You probably know the answer to that already.On those mornings, when I make the time to ground, my days are flawless.

So, what is grounding? Grounding is simply taking the time before you plug into life’s chatter, busyness, and craziness to connect within. It is the time when you find your centeredness, your peace, and your source. It is the time when you connect to source energy. At this time in my life, I have no great passion for converting others to my belief system or for telling them how they must do it.  However, I do have a great passion for healing and empowering, so I will share what my grounding looks like.                                                       

When I first open my eyes in the morning, I say thank you. “Thank you, God. I’ve been allowed to experience another day, no matter what the day holds.” I say thank you again, for I know that the power within will allow me to survive the day—and the even greater belief is that I will overcome the day. I know I am more than a conqueror.

I sometimes lie in my warm bed, or sometimes I go to my special room, where I kneel in honor and reverence to the omnipotent power in which I believe. I continue my thanks. I try to fill this consecrated time with as much thanks as possible. I’m even thankful for the difficult tasks and people in my life because they come to teach me lessons so that I might learn, grow, and walk in my purpose and reach my full potential. Once they leave, I am very thankful, for I know I have grown to the next level and I am ready for advanced testing.

When I’m done giving thanks, I ask for direction. What do I do? Who do I connect to today? Where do I go? In other words, I ask for my to-do list. And then, the most important part of all, after I’m done with all my talking, I listen. Quietly and intently, I listen. Sometimes, I sit only for a few minutes, still cognizant of my time. Yet, there are instances where time seems to stand still, and before I realize it, 40 to 60 minutes have easily gone by.

And do you know what’s always amazing? No matter whether I sit for a few minutes or many, my to-do list is the same length. My list always comprises two to three major things I’m supposed to do. However, the longer I remain in that connected place, the greater the peace.

Miraculously, every time I give thanks, listen, and do what I hear, I’m able to make more progress. I’m able to achieve much without the busyness. I go through my day energized, satisfied, and complete. Connections come. People, pets, and things aren’t irritating, and for that day, life is good.

When I’m prepared to climb into bed and begin the cycle all over again, there is a feeling of accomplishment and success. The day that started with grounding ended with success.

Give it a whirl. You may not do it every day, but if you try it, you might like it. With all the chaos, pain, and negativity of this time, I’ve come to realize it’s crucial. And, in my Cali voice, it is totally vital to achieving success in 2010. To say the least, it is vital for survival.

Happy Grounding!

In love, light, and healing

Pamela