One Minute can Change Everything

vasallophoto
Aug 24
3 min read

If you read my last article, you know the past few weeks have been a whirlwind. My family and I just moved to Bali after fourteen years in the high desert of New Mexico. I had visions of lazy mornings by the pool, unpacking at a leisurely pace, and soaking in our new surroundings.

Instead, our reality looked like this: bouncing between temporary stays, managing a neurodivergent child through change, and coordinating the million invisible logistics that come with an international move. In short — chaos.

One of the biggest challenges was that my journaling practice — a ritual I’ve relied on for years — fell completely off track. For 15 days, my journal sat unopened in my backpack. The most I managed were a couple of quick two, five, or ten-minute moments on some mornings before my day got started — not the deep, uninterrupted writing I was used to.

A few days ago, I finally found 30 minutes to write. Not the full hour I would have loved, but enough. Enough to let my shoulders drop, my breath slow, and my mind settle. It reminded me that grounding doesn’t have to come in big, luxurious chunks of time. It can happen in small pockets — even just one minute.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this after noticing something beautiful at Aila’s new school. Every day at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m., a gong sounds. The whole school stops. For that moment, everyone becomes present — a collective pause to breathe, to notice, to be.

Grounding can be as simple as that.

One minute of gratitude.
A deep breath in, fully noticing the air entering your lungs.
Paying attention to what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel in the moment.

These micro-moments matter. They stack up. They anchor you in the middle of whatever storm you’re walking through.

During this move, I’ve also been grounding myself through food. I don’t mean perfect eating — because let’s be honest, in the middle of upheaval, perfect doesn’t exist. I mean making small choices that help me feel nourished and steady:

Choosing fresh tropical fruit over a quick sugar fix.
Ordering veggie-rich local dishes instead of defaulting to something fried.
Staying hydrated, especially in the humidity.

It’s less about rigid rules and more about asking, What will make me feel my best right now?

Here are some grounding ideas that have been helping me lately — and that might help you, too:

Start the day in silence. Before you check your phone, put on music, or talk to anyone, give yourself a few minutes of quiet. Let your mind and body arrive before the world starts making demands.
Move your body intentionally. Whether it’s a gentle yoga flow, a walk outside, or a quick stretch, movement helps you come back into the present moment.
Create micro-moments of joy. Light a candle. Make your coffee extra special. Watch the sunset. These small things add up, especially when life feels big and overwhelming.

Grounding yourself doesn’t mean the chaos disappears. My move to Bali hasn’t magically smoothed out just because I journaled for 30 minutes or ate a salad. But it has shifted the way I experience the chaos.

Instead of feeling swept away, I feel steadier. More present. More able to see the beauty right alongside the mess.

If you’re in a season of change, transition, or even just a busy week, I invite you to try one of these practices. Experiment. See what helps you feel most like yourself.

What’s one small way you can ground yourself today?

To your success and abundance!

Tania