Staying Grounded Through the Good Days and the BLAH days.

I took this photo at the Bronx River in March 2025 as part of my Year by the River photo project, right after days of rain. This area floods often, soaking the ground and softening everything around it. But that tree stands steady despite the rain, snow, wind, blazing sun, and hail. No matter the season, its roots keep it anchored to the earth.

This week, I didn’t feel like that tree.

I felt fatigued, weak, unmotivated, uninspired — body pain, brain fog, bloating. Just BLAH.

A victim mindset crept in, and I let myself ruminate in those feelings.

Let’s just say: it wasn’t a pretty week for me.

I think it all stemmed from the stress of multiple doctor’s appointments and medical tests this month. On top of that, my knee pain has been off the charts, which felt like a literal push onto the couch — to sit and stew in discomfort and frustration. It is hard not to feel discouraged when every time I try to take a step forward — to feel healthier & stronger— it feels like my body screams, “Nope. You’re stuck like this. You’re stuck with the pain and confusion.”

At the beginning of the week, I had planned to write an inspiring post about what it means to be grounded and rooted. I was going to connect what I have been learning about the chakra system, specifically the root chakra, to this photo. But I had no energy to create such a post, which in hindsight, I am happy about. However, before this realization, I started to feel like an imposter. Who am I to talk about grounding practices when I can't even do it myself?

As I reflect on my week’s BLAHness, I learned that it is important for me to nurture my root chakra and develop a practice that helps me feel grounded, safe and anchored, for when life feels overwhelming and my mind feels stuck in overdrive.

This morning, I woke up again feeling the BLAH. But today, I decided to do something about it!

I downloaded a new journal app called Goodnotes (usually I handwrite in my journals) and began typing away using these prompts:

• What’s going on in your life that’s making you feel BLAH?

• How are you reacting to that feeling?

• Are you letting the BLAH consume you?

• What are some short but sweet actions you can take to connect you to your body or the earth?

After journaling this morning, I became aware of a two things:

• When you’re in the weeds, it’s hard to remember that you have choices that could help you return to your roots — your body, the earth, your values.

• When you’re in those BLAH moments, it’s so difficult to get out of your head and connect with reality — both physically and mentally. I think its even more difficult if you have mental health issues like depression, anxiety and OCD.

  
  

These observations led me to wonder: maybe there are different levels to creating a grounding practice? Maybe I need....

• Something soft and gentle for the BLAH days when it’s really hard to get out of your head (and out of bed).

• Something stabilizing for the in-between days.

• And something expansive for those bright, light days.

Journaling also helped me realize that grounding is really about getting out of my head and into my body. In to action.

Next time I am in the BLAHzone, which we all know will happen, I want to try again—with some soft action. So I made a list of some things I can do when I am really struggling with the feeling of being disconnected from myself.

🌱 Easy Ways to Ground on the BLAH Days

On days when you're not sure where to start, try something gentle and body-based:

• 🌞 Sit in the sun for 5 minutes

• 🥕 Make a meal with root veggies

• 💃 Dance, stretch, or just sway

• 🧘‍♀️ Listen to Yoga Nidra while lying down

• ✍️ Journal

On the BLAH days, I need to remember that grounding is just about remembering you have roots at all. Because like that tree in the photo, I want to remember that even when it floods—my roots are still there and I am safe. Nurturing my root chakra on the hardest days with small practices can help me find balance and strength to face life’s challenges, even on those BLAH days and weeks (i hope).

This week, I didn’t write the post I planned. But this is the one I was meant to write.

If you’ve had a BLAH week too, you’re not alone. If you’re feeling disconnected from your body or stuck in overwhelmed, anxious thought, I invite you to journal using the prompts I created, or someone else's, or even your own, and to come up with your own list of easy ways to ground on the BLAH days. And if you feel called to share, I’d truly love to hear your ideas — they might just help me or someone else find their way back to their roots, too.

What’s one gentle thing you can do today to feel more rooted? Start small, be gentle and take a small step towards action.

xoxoxo