The I Spy Grounding Technique: Master It in 3 Easy Steps

Allow me to introduce you to the simplified grounding technique I created. I call it the I Spy Grounding Technique.

I know what you are thinking. That is a ridiculous name for a grounding technique.

Have you met me? I’m the woman behind My Big Fat Bipolar Life blog!!! Ridiculous but memorable names are my forte.

If you give me a second, I will explain to you how I came up with the name and the technique.

Typical Five Senses Grounding Technique

If you’ve been in therapy for any length of time, your therapist has likely introduced you to one of the most popular grounding techniques of all.

You know the one I’m talking about. The one that taps into all five senses.

As someone who grapples with troubling intrusive thoughts that lead to anxiety, I am always looking for ways to get out of my head because it is not always a safe place to be.

I have had ruminating thoughts so overwhelming that they have led to self-harm—all in an effort just to make the noise stop.

When I spoke to my therapist about it, she taught me the typical five senses grounding technique that everyone is familiar with. She dimmed the lights and put on white noise.

While I found engaging all my senses helpful, I knew I wanted to simplify the process, so I could ground myself anywhere, at any time.

Taking Grounding Techniques on the Road

If you are anything like me, your intrusive thoughts and anxiety don’t always happen conveniently in the privacy of your home, where you can create a soothing environment to engage all five of your senses.

For me, the bothersome thoughts can happen anywhere, at any time, often at an inconvenient time, in a room full of people.

I knew I needed to come up with a more simplified approach that traveled well.

The I Spy Grounding Technique

One day when I was driving, my mind went to an unsafe place. My thoughts were not my own, and I was becoming anxious.

Obviously, I was not in a position to tap into all five of my senses. I had to adapt, and I had to do it quickly.

I looked around me and took in my surroundings. I silently inventoried everything I saw.

It went something like this: Red stop sign. Silver Honda Accord. Green street sign. Blue sky. White clouds. Yellow sun. You get the picture.

It didn’t take long for my mind to quiet and my anxiety to subside because once I focused on my surroundings, I could get outside my mind long enough to regroup and reboot my brain.

I Spy—Familiar Childhood Game

Can you guess why I named my simplified grounding technique the I Spy Grounding Technique? Because at the most basic level, this grounding technique is a reimagining of the familiar childhood game we’ve all played at one time or the other, and the name is a very basic reminder of how to use the technique.

Now that you know the why and the how of the I Spy Grounding Technique, let me break it down a little further so that you understand the full impact of how to use it.

Here are three easy steps to help you master the I Spy Grounding Technique:

1. You can use the I Spy Grounding Technique anywhere, at any time.

The I Spy Grounding Technique does not require a special atmospheric condition or location. It works whether you describe what you see out loud or silently.

You can use this technique anywhere, at any time. I have used it in every room of my house, at church, while driving, and even at concerts. You can use it in the company of others without their knowledge.

2. Take inventory of your surroundings and be very specific about describing what you see.

With the I Spy Grounding Technique, specificity is your friend. I have found the more specific you are about describing what you see, the better.

This is especially true if you are in a location with a limited number of items to inventory. If you are in a place where you are mostly surrounded by people, not objects, be specific about inventorying the color of their clothes, their hair, and even their accessories!

3. Continue to inventory everything in your surroundings until your mind becomes quiet, and your brain regroups and reboots.

The I Spy Grounding Technique is effective because it is a simple way to press the reset button on your brain.

Even if the location you are in has a limited number of items for you to inventory, continue cataloging the same objects over and over until your mind has quieted down, and you feel in control of your emotions again.

The Takeaway

Grounding techniques are important tools, especially when you live with bipolar disorder and experience times when your mind is not your own.

Whether it is intrusive thoughts, irritability, or anxiety, sometimes you would do anything to make the noise stop. Unfortunately, that can lead to self-harm behaviors.

The problem with the more popular grounding techniques that engage all five senses is that it is not always feasible to drop what you are doing to engage all your senses.

My simplified I Spy Grounding Technique takes the childhood game we are all familiar with and creates a grounding technique that you can use anywhere, at any time.

It is a simple but powerful tool to stop your stinking thinking in its tracks and redirect your brain to a more positive mindset.

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