What do I mean when I say I am "grounded"? We hear this term so often these days it's assumed that everyone knows what it means; but being grounded means something slightly different to everyone, depending on ones lifestyle, perceptions and sensitivities to daily surroundings.

To me, being grounded means being fully present: physically, emotionally and energetically. It means your mind is not wandering or pulling your energy elsewhere. Your heart and soul are not searching somewhere in the past or looking into the future. (Take a deep breath ... there, you're grounded!) Being fully present is life. It's the alchemy of thousands of processes on a cellular level; it's a miracle every millisecond. To be present in the moment is as easy as breathing, and it's an act of power to be aware of it.

As a massage therapist, I must be 100 percent present while I work on my clients. I must connect my energy to theirs and discern how I might hold the space for their beauty. Imagine my dismay when over a year ago, I read an article in Cosmopolitan magazine titled, "Confessions of a Massage Therapist." The "therapist" in the article spoke of the judgments she passed on her female clients regarding their weight, financial status, etc. She then went on to say how she "zoned out" and thought of her grocery list while she worked! That therapist (if you can call her that) was not grounded, nor did she have any business doing what is supposed to be healing work.

It is important to be fully present - for your health and your clients. You are worth the extra moment you spend with yourself, taking that deep breath and bringing yourself fully to the moment. Your clients also deserve your full attention.

Slow yourself down; the little things matter. Every smile you give and every step you take is important. These seemingly small things are the basis on which all other parts of the world rest. If you can be fully present in the small moments in your life, how powerful might the big things be? You are living life with the fullness it has to offer when you are present in every moment, as opposed to trying to plan every motion and emotion. There is so much damage done when we close ourselves down because we could not take the pain, heal the wounds, suffer the sorrow or feel the laughter. We must connect to ourselves on a daily basis. Our lives become more meaningful and dynamic once we decide we are worth the effort.

Being grounded makes a difference to every living being on our planet. When we are not grounded, our minds wander off and create chaos. We run into walls, lock our keys in the car and make mistakes at the bank. On some level, everyone pays for our "ungroundedness."

For some people, this is a way of being in control, but being ungrounded and unorganized (so that everyone around you becomes scattered, as well) is the oldest control trick in the book. When we are grounded and finally decide to be fully present, we open ourselves to the universal energy flowing around us, making our presence powerful. Tension levels drop; peace and serenity enter; and healing takes place. We have all experienced episodes where tension levels are high: Someone is about to snap; then a calm person enters the room, and everything shifts.

We all have the power to do that every moment of the day. When we stay grounded, we do not create chaotic reactions around us. We can laugh and not take ourselves so seriously.