Why Reconnecting with the Earth Matters More Than Ever in an AI World
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our work at lightning speed. It’s doing so in many remarkable ways, from automating complex decisions to unearthing insights and enhancing communication. Productivity benefits are soaring in many places; however, a major concern is the impact on our humanity and appreciation of the forces of nature and the natural world. Grounding for certain is one such area.
Grounding Health Benefits Backed by Science
Grounding—also called earthing—is the practice of making direct physical contact with the Earth’s surface, such as walking barefoot on grass, sand, or soil, unsealed tile, stone, and yes, concrete city sidewalks, too (especially conductive when moist after a rain). How it works is that the Earth carries a subtle electrical charge, and connecting to it has been scientifically reported to help neutralize free radicals and oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and help regulate the nervous system. More than 22 peer-reviewed studies have explored its physiological benefits. These range from reduced anxiety and stress to better sleep and improved circulation and immune function; in summary, a return to a more normal state of homeostasis.
In addition, grounding also helps to mitigate against the harmful radiation waves emitted from the fast-expanding expansion of EMFs, 5G, and Wi-Fi, both inside our homes and offices and outdoors as well. It helps to neutralize the harmful impact on humans and especially on children and babies; their organs are still developing, and they are vulnerable. There are EMF-blocking products on the market that help stave off these harmful effects, both for adults and children. This is part of our passionate mission at TRU47.
Modern life pulls us away from nature and has been doing so for years. This natural connection and time outdoors and connecting to the earth is reported to be the best medicine in the world. Hippocrates is noted as saying that nature is medicine. The advent of synthetic shoes, excessive screen time, and the impact of intense technology overstimulation all create a sensory and energetic isolation and overload. Grounding offers a pathway back to equilibrium.
A Life-Saving Personal Journey with Grounding
It certainly helped me; in fact, it saved my life and supported my recovery by improving my blood viscosity after a heart attack. I was given 90 minutes to live and asked if I had a living will when I arrived at the ER as a result of a quick stop at an urgent care facility, as I was departing for a nighttime trip to Colorado from Arizona. Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a respected cardiologist and a leading pioneer in this area of grounding research, first introduced me to this amazing natural modality. I had no idea that attending a lecture at a longevity conference 16 years ago would foreshadow our future collaboration—or my own health journey. Years later, I co-authored Get Grounded, Get Well with him.
Grounding as a Physical and Emotional Reset
Grounding is also a powerful metaphor. Just as physical grounding brings balance to the body, emotional grounding brings steadiness to leadership and personal relationships as well. Grounding serves as a reset. It quiets mental chatter, calms the nervous system, and strengthens immune response. It also helps mitigate the effects of electromagnetic stress, something increasingly important in a hyperconnected world. Grounding gives us calm, focus, and access to intuition.
What AI Can’t Replace
AI also cannot convey personal stories or the deeper value behind them. Stories carry essence and live experience. Machine-generated words might be able to mimic, but they can’t capture spirit, soul, or deliver nuance. Stories are shaped by experience, enriched through listening, and sustained by curiosity as well as a quest to keep learning.
Adam Grant describes this in Hidden Potential, calling it the “sponge effect - a kind of awareness, absorption, and digesting that cannot be programmed. Bo Eason, a former NFL safety turned leadership coach, also teaches that stories are what make us memorable, and that authenticity and connection defines great leadership.
The Rise of Natural Wellness in a Post-Pandemic World
The COVID-19 pandemic was a collective wake-up call for many in many ways. Concepts like preventative care and natural wellness leapt from the fringes to the forefront of discourse. The movement has only grown and been amplified by pioneers across generations.
As someone who has dedicated my life’s work to fostering health and well-being, I applaud this direction wholeheartedly. Embracing more time outdoors, relationship-building, and stress-reducing practices have emerged in business and in family life. What were once “nice-to-haves” became strategic assets.
Simple Grounding Practices You Can Start Today
You don’t need elaborate tools or extended time to ground yourself. The are many free or low-effort practices that can be integrated into your daily routine:
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Walk barefoot on conductive surfaces (grass, soil, sand, unsealed concrete—even city sidewalks)
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Use grounding mats or silver-threaded apparel at your desk or while sleeping.
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Spend time in nature—touching trees, tending plants, breathing fresh air.
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Extend your shower or bath; even water flowing through a metal pipe offers grounding effects (pedicures also work well)
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Create tech-free zones, especially before bed or during recovery periods.
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Schedule unstructured time for reflection and reset.
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Position your workspace near natural light and open windows.
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Turn off your phone or switch to airplane mode at night!
The Human Advantage in an AI World
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in our systems, our well-being and also our sense of purpose and success in the workplace will come from those who live and lead with greater presence, emotional depth, and intention. By grounding ourselves—both literally and emotionally—we can stay true to humanity and lead from that place. It all starts with the Earth beneath our feet.
