Getting Grounded As A Man: 7 Actionable Ways to Create Mental Stability

The concept of “being grounded” is something most people have a passing familiarity with.

However, knowledge is not experiential.

In order for you to truly understand something, you need to experience it.

In this article, you’re going to get the low down on how to experience being grounded for yourself.

You’re also going to learn:

What it means to be a grounded ma
What the state of “being grounded” feels like
Why you should be grounded as a man
Why it is difficult to be grounded in the modern world
Ways to get grounded

Let’s hit it.

What does it mean to be grounded?

First off, think of a grounded individual. What does that person look like? What type of energy does that person give off

Did you think of someone who’s:

Calm
Centered
In control
Confident
Assertive
Self-Controlled

If you thought about all of these, you would be right on the mark.

A grounded individual is someone who is physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically connected to who they are, what their values and standards are, and more importantly–connected to the present moment.

“Being grounded” means having a stable and calm state of mind, even in the face of:

Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Other challenging situations

This is a foreign state to many people, as it is something they’ve never experienced at all in any form or fashion.

Why Should You Be Grounded As A Man?

As a man, it’s in your best interest to be grounded.

Why?

There’s several:

The man is typically seen as “the rock” of the family unity
Your biology by way of testosterone makes it easier to be grounded
Men who are not grounded are often not treated with respect by their peers

Let’s slowly unpack these.

In traditional gender roles, the man is the breadwinner and provider of the family unit. Yes, modern life has changed things quite a bit – but this grounding has deep roots in our socialization as a culture and even our biology.

Men were the first lines of defense against outside dangers and threats due to their bigger size and their ability to dispatch threats. Often, they were used as soldiers or people who could do manual labor.

This made them the first option when it came to any physical exertion.

Fast forwarding to today, a man is by default seen as the person who will defend his family and help provide them with resources.

If don’t have some degree of mental toughness as a man, you’ll find it very difficult to help your family survive and thrive in today’s fast paced world.

—
This also feeds into the fact that a man’s natural hormonal profile should make his physical disposition stable.

Unlike women, men do not go through a monthly cycle. This (in the ideal conditions) creates a stable hormonal and neurological profile where a man would not be subject to the same emotional fluctuations as a woman would while she’s going through her cycle.

Unfortunately, many men in the modern world have the hormonal profile of a 70+ year old man when their testosterone should be much higher.

This will contribute to lack of groundedness for many.

—

The last point is something that’s pretty apparent to anyone who has grown up as a man.

As you grow up, you start to realize that there’s something of a “male pecking order” (some people call it a “dominance hierarchy”).

Men are respected (or not) based on their level of social status in this hierarchy (part of the reason why men are so status-oriented).

This usually grants access to opportunities that are not available to males at the lower part of this hierarchy

In elementary and middle schools, it was usually the males who were bigger and stronger (who could literally throw their weight around) that were at the top of this hierarchy.

Then in high school and college, the game inevitably becomes one of sociability (though not always), which is part of the reason why young people are so concerned with the opinions of their peers.

What does this have to do with being grounded?

A man who is NOT grounded will find it difficult to assert himself as someone who is worthy of respect.

He will become “the low man on the totem pole”, disrespected by his fellow males and overlooked by women.

If you were considered a “loser“ in school, then you are probably familiar with this.

Someone who is considered a loser/social reject will often find themselves listless due to social isolation. This is because we humans are social creatures who need and value connection.

This in and of itself will contribute to a sense of a lack of grounding.

Why is it so difficult to be grounded in the modern world?

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably able to understand why being grounded is so important.

But why is it so difficult to feel stable, calm, centered, and most importantly–confident?

There’s many reasons why, but here’s a quick few:

Information Overload – With the constant barrage of information from social media, news outlets, and other sources, it can be difficult to remain grounded. This incessant flood of information can lead to anxiety, stress, and distractibility.
Technology – Smartphones, social media, and other technologies can be a source of distraction and can interfere with our ability to stay present and focused.
Fast-Paced Lifestyles – The modern world moves at a rapid pace, with many things competing for your attention. The pressure to keep up with demands can leave people feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
Social Isolation – Despite the prevalence of social media, many people feel socially isolated and disconnected from others. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and can make it more difficult to stay grounded and centered. This was alluded to earlier in the section about male hierarchy.
Global Instability – In today’s world, there is often a sense of uncertainty and instability. The world is changing so fast and it seems like a new calamity is always right around the corner. This contributes to anxiety and feelings of rootlessness.

How to Be Grounded (As A Man)

After reading all this, you’re probably looking for some practical tips to implementation.

Here’s a shortlist of things you can do (immediately) to make yourself much more rooted in the world and in yourself.

1. Practice Mindfulness and/or Meditation

Meditation is a way to get in touch with your inner self and it’s one of the foundations of inner work.

Getting in touch with your inner self allows you to express your ideas and values to the world authentically and unapologetically.

To practice meditation, start with sitting still for 5 minutes. Once those 5 minutes are over, get up. Come back the next day and do it again.

Don’t try to add too much at once or else you won’t do it at all.

To learn more about meditation, check out Headspace’s How to Fit a 10-Minute Meditation Into Your Day, Every Day.

2. Stop Idolizing Women

Fact: many men who would be solid in other areas lose their composure around attractive women.

Many men put women on a pedestal and it’s something that many are programmed with since birth.

This is further aggravated by pornography, looking at “models” on Instagram, and general “simping” around women.

If you want to be grounded, you’ll need to stop this behavior.

To start – take a social media detox. Stop following all “models” and exhibitionist “influencers” on your social media accounts.

After that, start scaling up. You want to get to the point where you’re not using ANY sexual media at all and interacting with women in real life rather than through a screen.

A good way to start doing this is to develop masculine frame. Check out How to Be More Masculine in the 21st Century for more details on this.

3. Exercise Regularly

Our origins come from physically active humans.

However, our modern society is largely sedentary – and it’s causing a lot of problems.

Make time to stretch, lift weights, run/jog–just something to expand your physical capacity.

You don’t have to become a workout warrior, just become someone who is regularly moving their body.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends all adults to have 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. You can split this up into 5-30 minute chunks, 3-50 minute chunks, or however you choose.

Just make sure you aren’t a couch potato, because that creates more problems than it solves.

4. Build Healthy Friendships and Relationships

Humans are very social. Without social connections, you will experience a lot of negative emotions because you’ll be too stuck in your head.

Get around other people who can help you to ground yourself mentally.

You can do this by making small connections with people in your immediate area.

Do you live around any high school or college buds? If you hang out with them, they can probably introduce you to other people.

If you’re in a completely new place, try apps like Meetup to meet and connect with others.

Need help with your social intelligence? Check out How to Win at Social Skills and Social Intelligence.

5. Involve yourself in a project

Doing personal projects or doing service work is a great way to keep yourself focused on a mission outside yourself.

A man’s purpose should be his north star and without a project that leads to that purpose, you will feel very ungrounded.

If you’re looking for ways to help others, try VolunteerMatch or another similar service in your area.

6. Get your hormone levels checked

Many men have screwed up hormones in the modern day.

This affects your physiology and psychology.

If you need an easy and discreet way to check your hormone levels, get an at-home test from Everlywell.

You can choose from a male hormone panel, general wellness, and more.

You can even discuss your results with a licensed physician.

Your first order is 15% off.

7. Get outside your comfort zone regularly

Going to new places, trying new things, stretching your limits are all things that break one out of the monotony a compulsive mind can generate.

If you want to feel alive (and grounded), make being uncomfortable a regular practice.

To learn more about stepping outside your comfort zone, check out 5 Tactics to Expand Your Comfort Zone.

Conclusion + Wrapping Up

Being grounded and staying grounded is crucial for emotional and mental stability, especially when faced with stress.

However, being grounded in modern society isn’t easy due to a mix of societal expectations, information overload, and our 21st-century fast paced lifestyle.

Nevertheless, by doing things like:

mindfulness meditation
not worshipping women,
exercising regularly
building friendships
getting involved in a larger vision
getting your hormone levels checked
and stepping outside your comfort zone regularly,

You’ll be able to cultivate the self-reflection and inner peace necessary for grounding, regardless of who you are.

And if you want to take your grounding further, it requires the right environment for personal development.

That’s why I made Cornerstone.

Cornerstone is designed to help you build a stable and strong foundation in 4 different aspects of your personal development:

Your psychology
Your philosophy
Your productivity
Your progression

By doing this, you will have a great shot at creating a happy, fulfilling, and successful life for yourself.
If you want more info on the course, check out the link below.