The Floor is Your Friend
A simple practice for overwhelmed minds
I want to share something a bit vulnerable with you today. For almost a year now, I've been feeling a deep need to slow down, to build in more time for restoration. Throughout my life, I've been pretty good at layering in enough recharge time to keep showing up inspired and motivated for whatever life brings. But this past year has felt different.
Maybe it's being in my 40s. Maybe it's the unique fatigue that seems to define 2025. Maybe it's family demands. I'm honestly not sure what's behind it. But when I create space to listen to myself—to that inner wisdom we all carry—I hear a clear message asking for recharge, creativity, and time to redefine what purpose means to me right now.
With my own journey as inspiration, I want to share a practice that's been helping me reconnect with my body and find moments of genuine rest in busy days.
When the Floor Calls to You
This practice is for you if you're feeling:
In need of a break in your day (but don't know how to take one)
Ready to tune into your body and practice listening to what it needs
Overwhelmed with swirling thoughts that won't quiet down
If any of this resonates, the floor is calling your name.
The Practice: What Is It Like to Be on the Floor?
This isn't about perfect form or doing it "right." It's about giving yourself permission to simply be with your body in a basic, grounding way.
Step 1: Choose Your Time
Decide how long you want to spend with this practice—anywhere from 3-15 minutes works beautifully. You can set a timer or play music that matches your desired timeframe.
Step 2: Create Your Space
Find a spot to lie on the floor. (It's summer, so feel free to take this outside and connect with the earth directly!) Consider what will make you comfortable: a yoga mat, blanket, something under your head, or perhaps elevating your knees.
Step 3: Notice Your Contact Points
Once you're settled, tune into every place your body touches the floor. Pay attention to where you're not making contact too—you might be surprised to discover that your lower back doesn't fully connect with the ground.
Step 4: Replace Judgment with Curiosity
As you notice these points of contact and space, approach your observations with curiosity rather than criticism. There's no "perfect" way your body should meet the floor.
Step 5: Find What You're Holding
Check in with parts of your body that might be gripping or holding tension. Shoulders are famous for this. See if you can invite them to "melt like butter toward the earth." What would it feel like to let gravity do some of the work?
Step 6: Honor Your Return
When your time is complete, notice if you want just another minute. Then roll to your right side and gently bring yourself to sitting, or bend forward from the waist to give yourself a gentle energy boost as you transition back to your day.
Making This Practice Accessible
Not every exercise works for every body, and that's completely okay. If lying on the floor isn't accessible or comfortable for you, try sitting in a chair that feels supportive and imagine the experience. Ask yourself: "If this was accessible to my body and comfortable, what would it feel like?" Your intention and imagination are powerful tools for nervous system regulation.
Why This Simple Practice Matters
In our fast-paced world, we rarely give ourselves permission to simply be with our bodies in such a fundamental way. We live so much in our heads—responding to endless demands, notifications, and mental chatter—that we forget the wisdom our bodies hold.
This floor practice offers:
Nervous system reset through grounding and gravity
Present-moment awareness without complicated techniques
Body reconnection in just a few minutes
Permission to rest in the middle of your day
What Your Body Knows
As someone who's spent 15 years as a dance/movement therapist helping people reconnect with their bodies, I've seen how transformative it can be when we pause to actually listen. Your body holds incredible wisdom about what you need: for rest, for healing, for moving forward. But we have to create space to hear it.
Sometimes that wisdom is asking for something as simple as lying on the floor and letting gravity hold you for a few minutes.
Your Experience Matters
I'm genuinely curious about how this goes for you. What did you notice? What surprised you? What felt challenging or nourishing?
The floor is waiting. Your body knows what to do. Are you ready to listen?
