UP::[[About this project]] Last updated: 2025-05-02 --- This is one of my core values. More specifically, it’s an **aspirational value**—I strive toward it rather than it being something that comes effortlessly to me. > _Grounding, to me, means being able to stand with my feet firmly on the ground, wide and tall, amidst the chaos around me. It’s the ability to hold and compose myself unwaveringly._ > _And when I waver, it’s about gently returning to it—nonjudgmentally._ Why do I desire this? Because it feels magnificent to me. I would even say it has a sage-like quality—to remain undisturbed by the storms of life. That quiet strength, that rooted calm, is something I deeply admire. When reflecting on whether I wanted to be grounded in every aspect of life, I wrote to myself: **"I want groundedness in my emotions, not in my aspirations."** The book, then, is an aspiration. But I want to walk through it _groundedly_—with presence, clarity, and calm. And here’s something I’ve now come to believe: > Groundedness is not just about staying centered. > It’s also about how we return to center when we inevitably wobble. > That return—with grace, softness, and mindfulness—is grounding too. It’s not about being perfectly composed all the time. It’s about cultivating the _way back home_. >[!quote] Even my inner critic, [[Zuzubi]], aligns with this value in its own way. > Though inner criticism may sound like the polar opposite of grounding, it can actually lead to clarity—if we're willing to sit with it. ![[me-grounding 1.png]] *Grounded amidst chaos – AI-assisted art using DALL·E* #grounding