I think we can all relate to those times in our life where we feel as if we are 'tumbling' along, somewhere behind our bodies rather than actually inhabiting our skin and walking on the Earth... Not only does this not feel good, it sends a message to those around us that we are distracted and 'all over the place'.
The beauty of the human body is that it is designed to work best with gravity. Counter-intuitively, it is actually in learning to feel our weight into the ground that we find the most ease, length and height through our bodies. By learning to feel and trust the ground under us we can feel better and exude that feeling of grounded solidity - the basis of confidence - to the world around us. Feel it for yourself - try this:
Take a deep breath. As you exhale, feel the contact of your body with the ground. Imagine the ground under you solidly and firmly supporting the weight of your body. Imagine your body resting into the ground as if it were a giant tray, a giant hand underneath the tray gently pushing up into you. So that not only is your weight resting down, but the ground is gently pressing up to meet you. Continue to breathe deeply and scan your body with your awareness, allow any unnecessary holding to release as every part of your body recognizes and feels the support of the ground under you.
Carry this sensation and practice with you throughout your day. In those moments where you catch yourself totally lost in thought, or anxious, nervous or upset try taking a few breaths to reconnect with the sensation of the ground under you. What do you notice?
