Seven Ways to Stay Grounded in Our Digital World
- Jun 30
- 8 min read
Kirsty Marie Denny specialises in trauma, neurodivergence, and sensitivity, empowering her clients to transform their lives through energetic kinesiology. Her focus is on each individual’s unique gifts and challenges and the root causes of distressing symptoms.
The world of technology doesn’t come naturally to me. My inclination is more towards writing with a quill and inkpot somewhere deep in the woods than being up to date with the latest innovations. I got my first Nokia brick cellphone when I was 17, but frequent use of a computer wasn’t part of my world until I started university, and I started out using floppy disks to save my work. My on-trend friends were getting iPods, but I still had a Discman. Who wants to guess my age?!
The only thing we can rely on is change
It’s pretty mind-blowing to think how rapidly things have changed in this arena in the last 25 years, and even more so to wonder how things will be in another 5, 10, or 20 years, given the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence, or AI.
Most of us, me begrudgingly included, accept that this technological acceleration is part of our reality now and comes with many benefits. However, we may also have the sense that we want to maintain our organic humanness. So how do we achieve this balance in a practical sense? Change is the only constant; therefore, ways of coming into alignment with the self and flexing the muscle of discernment are crucial.
If you have kids, there will be an additional weight and dimension to this decision-making. If you are setting limits on tech use that are different from those of their friends, respectful communication and discussion of your rationale will be of utmost importance in terms of balancing their safety and wellbeing with the integrity of your relationship. Ultimately, of course, you will want to guide them towards being able to safely manage their own technology use. How kids and young adults are impacted by technology could be an essay in itself, but here I’m going to focus on maintaining balance and connection in a more general sense.
7 tips on how to maintain balance and grounding
1. Consider your privacy
Maintaining your personal sovereignty is a choice, in my opinion, even if you know that “Big Brother is watching” you through your social media, internet searches, app use, and so on. Of course, you may wish to limit your use of certain features, increase your privacy settings, or use a VPN, or virtual private network. As mentioned above, you must discern what is appropriate for yourself, possibly in consultation with someone far more tech-savvy than I am.
2. Appreciate the technology of being human
Whilst the complexity and power of IT are growing exponentially, don’t forget to marvel at the incredible innate intelligence of your body. Think about the absolute miracle of the development of a full human being from conception to birth, for example. Feel gratitude for the everyday gift of a cut that heals itself, or your autonomic nervous system maintaining the vitals of life without any conscious input from you!
All of this is already awe-inspiring, but it becomes truly miraculous when we move into the realm of neurology, thought, and how it interfaces with consciousness. Consider the way we feel the emotions of another, or how we tap into creative impulses and intuition. Our philosophical and spiritual nature, the drive to understand ourselves and why we are here, is part of what makes us organically human. Truly, we are more magnificent than the most advanced machines.
Related article: How to Become an Intuitive Parent
3. Embrace imperfection
It’s easy to get swept up in the neurosis of chasing impossible perfection these days, in a world of social media filters, Botox, and surgical enhancement. But think about what is most endearing about the humans you love. Is it their glossy perfection, or all of their little “flaws” and foibles? The raw vulnerability of their emotions? Their very humanness, in short?
What evokes a greater sense of meaning: the image of a wise elder, their skin lined by the years, or a face drawn tight and unnatural by the pursuit of perfection? What makes you feel more alive: a perfect, digitally remastered record, or live musicians communing with their instruments and the audience?
Now, perhaps more challengingly, can you embrace your own imperfection and that of those who rub you up the wrong way? The natural world is a great teacher in this regard. Notice how you feel about a wary animal, once bitten, twice shy, or a tree that has split but miraculously continued to grow and adapt. Ram Dass famously spoke of how easy it is to allow and appreciate trees just as they are, but how much more challenging it is to transfer this non-judgment to humans. See the full quote here.
4. Use your brain and your hands
Technology can make life easier! But perhaps it’s important to consider what we miss out on when we always take the shortcut. In my case, for example, my sense of direction is certainly not my forte. In the days before having GPS inside a smartphone, I regularly needed to pull over to consult my map. Now, my stress levels when driving are undoubtedly lower, but I’m not doing my spatial awareness any favours by relying on the lady in the phone.
Recently, there has been a resurgence in the value placed on handwriting as opposed to word processing, with many referring to this research on brain connectivity during writing. Of course, progress and efficiency always come with trade-offs. Just think of the Industrial Revolution! I am, in fact, writing this article on my laptop and not with a feather and quill, darn it. However, consider keeping the art of handwriting alive and receiving its benefits by keeping a journal or using a notebook to jot down interesting ideas as they occur to you, or for the initial brainstorming stage of a project. Notice the effect on your overall wellbeing and creative flow. I expect similar whole-brain and soul benefits apply to other hands-on activities, such as playing a musical instrument or creating arts and crafts.
Speaking of creative flow, it’s all too easy to rely on AI for summarising a topic, coming up with a project outline, or generating an image. Use these tools as suits you, but consider the idea of use it or lose it. You probably don’t want your brain to become a blunt instrument or your creativity to be constrained by a search engine.
5. Schedule digital detox times
Use it or lose it may also be applied to our ability to focus and stay motivated. Many are now aware of the impact of shorts, soundbites, and social media scrolling on our ability to stay engaged with longer tasks, or those that require pushing through some boredom or resistance.
The idea of engaging in dopamine detox or fasting has gained traction, perhaps being popularised by Anna Lembke in her 2021 book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. Of course, dopamine is a natural neurotransmitter, and we absolutely need it. The idea isn’t to get rid of dopamine, but to reset our internal system of pleasure and reward by abstaining from or heavily reducing reliance on quick fixes, especially social media. This might look like taking a longer digital detox, or simply setting boundaries for yourself around when you’ll check your socials.
6. Physical impacts of tech
In addition to the potential effects on motivation and creativity, overexposure to technology can have very real physical impacts, as discussed in this paper and the references contained within.
The effect of electromagnetic frequencies, or EMFs, emitted by our electrical appliances, especially computers and Wi Fi, is a somewhat controversial topic, unnecessarily so, in my opinion. Just as with radio waves, microwaves, and X-rays, the fact that we can’t see the frequencies emitted by our devices doesn’t mean they aren’t there!
Naturally, big tech is big business, so there may be incentives not to disclose or emphasise the possible downsides of living in an electromagnetic soup that our bodies are not well adapted to. However, recognising there may be an issue doesn’t mean we have to disengage from the technological world altogether. As with anything, not everyone has the same degree of sensitivity, and often, small changes can make a big difference. Switching off your Wi Fi when not in use, particularly at night, avoiding blue light at night, and making sure you are exposed to natural light in the morning to support your natural biological cycles are examples.
There are also many devices marketed to reduce the impact of EMFs when worn on the body or placed on your phone or computer. Use your discernment, do some research, and see how you feel when using these. Naturally, these devices are not a substitute for giving your body a break from exposure as much as possible. Which brings us to the next point.
7. Connect with the earth
We live on this planet, and truthfully, we are always connected with it, as well as with the cosmos. We are stardust! However, it can be easy to forget that our bodies have evolved to be in sync with the natural rhythms of the earth in our world of manmade frequencies, electric lights, and ever-available convenience.
Taking small steps to consciously reconnect and honour our biological nature can make a big difference to wellbeing. The physical elements matter here: eating natural whole foods, getting more natural light, and reducing EMF exposure, as mentioned above. Scheduling time in off-the-grid nature areas can be particularly helpful if you are very sensitive, as can grounding yourself by walking barefoot on the earth.
In addition, and perhaps of even greater importance, is the element of a conscious or spiritual relationship with the earth. This connection can be easier to access when we’re walking along the beach, in the forest, or watching a beautiful sunset. However, this resonance is always available to us energetically. Even if we’re in a high-rise apartment surrounded by human noise, we can attune to the idea that we are of the earth and it is of us with gratitude.
Some people find grounding mats and devices very helpful to assist with this. You can also work with the meridian system to feel more connected to your body and the earth. Kidney 1, or Bubbling Spring, is a particularly helpful point to hold or massage in the often tender spot where the ball of the foot meets the arch. Try it and see how you feel!
Technology and neurodivergence
Something I’ve noticed is that neurodivergent people are often highly sensitive and have a tendency to be less grounded in the body. This is by no means a scientific statement! If you are neurodivergent yourself or energetically sensitive, you may have an awareness of this tendency towards being dreamy, dissociated, or needing to frequently reconnect to the body.
Simultaneously, it is becoming commonplace for neurodivergent people to rely on devices for time-out, regulation, or communication purposes. Each individual and family must decide what the appropriate balance is for them, but reliance on tech in certain areas may make it even more imperative to balance this with opportunities for digital detox and nature connection.
Moving with the times
There is no question that our world is changing rapidly. How we adapt and maintain our sovereignty and humanity is one of the great questions of our time. This topic can feel a little overwhelming, but for myself, connecting to the magnificence of human consciousness feels very reassuring.
When working with clients, I often do an initial energetic check of how fully present they are in the body. When we are feeling energetically centred, it becomes much easier to discern what is in alignment for ourselves and our families and to navigate the increasingly noisy world of technology and AI “out there.”
If you’d like some assistance with this, reach out to me, or book a session online. I’m a real, organic human, and I’d love to connect!
Kirsty Marie Denny, Kinesiologist and Neurodivergence Specialist
Kirsty Marie is an energetic kinesiologist who believes in each human’s capacity to thrive as their unique and authentic self. Kirsty navigated chronic health challenges in her 20s and an intensely stressful early parenthood experience. Having transformed her own life as well as her children’s, she is on a mission to empower others. She specialises in supporting those who are highly sensitive, neurodivergent, or who have experienced trauma. Her approach is truly holistic, incorporating practical lifestyle coaching as well as energetic processes for balancing the brain and body and transmuting emotional stress.
