When Stress Makes You Disappear, 9 Gentle Ways to Stay Present in Your Body

You know that feeling when you’re in the middle of a stressful conversation and suddenly you’re watching yourself from somewhere near the ceiling? Or when tension rises and the world goes fuzzy, like you’re seeing everything through frosted glass? Maybe you lose chunks of time—ten minutes, an hour—and you can’t quite remember what happened or what you said.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not losing your mind. You’re dissociating. And while that word might sound clinical or scary, it’s actually your nervous system’s oldest, most primal way of saying: “This is too much. I’m getting you out of here.”

The thing is, what once kept you safe—this ability to disappear when things got overwhelming—can become a reflex that fires even when you don’t need it anymore.

Today, I’m going to show you nine gentle, grounding practices that help you stay anchored in the present moment, even when stress tries to pull you away. Because you deserve to be fully here for your own life.To read more, tap here