It’s not unusual to feel nervous about your wedding, in fact it’s a good thing. Being nervous shows we care, that something is important but it’s also true that the physiological feelings of nerves are the same as excitement – so actually, you are excited!
Nerves and anxiety become an issue for us when we don’t manage them effectively. For a good way to manage anxious feelings, try the grounding technique.
When we ground ourselves, we become mindful of everything around us, using our senses to gain control of our emotions and physical feelings, which, in turn, helps us gain clarity.
It’s a great technique to have in your armory for any occasion where you need to take control of your emotions – not just wedding anxiety!
Try this exercise when you need to feel a little more grounded.
5-4-3-2-1 … Grounding
‘Grounding’ is what we need to do when we feel like we’ve got lost and no longer have full control of a situation. 5-4-3-2-1 is a calming technique which takes you through your five senses to bring you into the present moment.
When we are in the present, or the ‘now’, we can bring more clarity and remove thoughts and anxieties of the past and the future. When we think about past issues or we worry about what’s to come, we lose sight of what we have right here and now.
The 5-4-3-2-1 technique
Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
5 – acknowledge 5 things you can see (perhaps a plant, pen or table)
4 – acknowledge 4 things you can touch (perhaps a glass, the grass, a cushion)
3 – acknowledge 3 things you can hear (perhaps a car, a cat purring, a washing machine)
2 – acknowledge 2 things you can smell (perhaps the fresh laundry, perfume, the rain)
1 – acknowledge 1 thing you can taste (perhaps a coffee you drank earlier, a mint, breakfast)
Take another deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
How do you feel? Write in your journal how you feel right now.
This technique helps you regain control of your senses and pulls you back into the present, to feel calmer and more grounded. Take your time with the exercise, and appreciate how amazing our senses are and what is around you right now.
Much love,
Tabby xx
Weddings on the Mind 