Feeling disconnected from yourself can sneak up on you quite quietly. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re going through the motions of autopilot, wondering when you last had an actual thought that wasn’t about emails or what to eat for dinner.

Life gets loud quickly and it becomes demanding, and somewhere in the noise you can really lose touch with yourself. Reconnecting doesn’t require dramatic retreats to the mountains or a personality overhaul. I mean, you could do that if you want to, but it’s usually about the small shifts that bring you back into your body and your thoughts and your centre, what actually matters to you. It’s not about reinvention, it’s just about remembering who you are.

Some people like physical reminders to slow down and tune in. This may be a daily walk or a mindful breathing session, or even wearing something symbolic like a grounding bracelet to prompt moments of awareness through the day. The point isn’t about the object itself, but the pause that it encourages, and one of the simplest ways to reconnect is to notice how you’re actually feeling.

Some people lean into what they think they should feel rather than what they actually feel, and checking in with yourself honestly can be uncomfortable at first. It’s also quite freeing. Naming your emotions gives them less power to run the show in the background.

Another helpful thing to do is create small pockets of quietness. You don’t need hours of silence, but a few minutes without screen noise or distractions can be enough to hear your own thoughts. Again, at first your brain may protest loudly. Sure, that’s normal, but stick with it. Movement also plays a very big role in reconnection. Gentle activity like stretching or walking or slow exercise or using grounding mats in nature can help you to get out of your head and back into your body.

This here isn’t about fitness goals or burning new calories or about getting skinny. It’s about reminding yourself that you live in a body. You’re not just a to do list.

Paying attention to the things that drain you can also help you to feel more connected to yourself, because then you can pay attention to what restores you from that drain. Notice which activities leave you feeling lighter and which ones leave you 10 to exhausted.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight, but small adjustments here can make a big difference in time. Reconnecting to yourself also means giving yourself permission to change. You are not required to like the same things that you did five years ago. Your interests are going to shift and your priorities will evolve. And that’s not a failure, but it’s growth. Letting go of outdated expectations can feel like taking a deep breath after holding it for too long.

Coming back to yourself isn’t a one time event, it’s a practice that you return to again and again. Some days it will feel easy and other days it will feel like work, but both are normal.