📝 Worksheet 10.4: My GROUND Practice and Connection Plan

Purpose of This Worksheet

This private worksheet will help you recognize mental loops connected to rejection, loneliness, anger, and painful relationship experiences.

You will practice separating facts from assumptions, welcoming Scripture and the Holy Spirit, caring for your embodied life, moving toward safe connection, and choosing one faithful action.

This worksheet is private by default.

You are not required to upload it, share personal details, or disclose information that feels unsafe. You may use general words rather than names or identifying details.

My Privacy Choice

Before beginning, choose how you will complete this worksheet.

☐ I will use general descriptions rather than names.

☐ I will write only what feels appropriate and safe.

☐ I will skip any question I do not wish to answer.

☐ I will complete this privately.

☐ I may share selected parts with a trusted person by my own choice.

Movement One: Pause and Pray

1. Prepare to Pause

Place both feet on the floor if that is comfortable.

Allow your shoulders to lower.

Unclench your jaw and hands.

Take several gentle breaths without forcing them.

You may open your hands as a physical expression of surrender.

2. Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus, I pause before You.

You know the conversations I replay, the rejection I feel, the loneliness I carry, and the anger that rises within me.

Help me notice what is happening without shame.

Show me what is true, what I am assuming, what needs wise attention, and what I can entrust to You.

Welcome Your Word into my inward conversation.

Guide me by Your Holy Spirit.

Give me grace for one faithful step.

Amen.

3. My Present State

Right now, I would describe my inward state as:

☐ peaceful

☐ distracted

☐ rejected

☐ lonely

☐ angry

☐ embarrassed

☐ disappointed

☐ worried

☐ exhausted

☐ numb

☐ restless

☐ confused

☐ tempted to withdraw

☐ tempted to react quickly

☐ caught in a mental replay

☐ other: __________________________________________

4. What I Notice in My Body

I notice:

☐ shallow or rapid breathing

☐ tightness in my chest

☐ tense shoulders

☐ clenched jaw

☐ clenched hands

☐ racing heart

☐ upset stomach

☐ heaviness

☐ tiredness

☐ restlessness

☐ difficulty concentrating

☐ an urge to check my phone

☐ an urge to send a message immediately

☐ an urge to withdraw

☐ other: __________________________________________

5. My Pause Sentence

Complete this sentence:

I do not need to solve everything in this moment. With Christ, I can pause and notice ________________________________________________.

Movement Two: Notice and Name

6. The Situation My Mind Keeps Replaying

Describe the situation without unnecessary names or identifying details.

7. The Exact Sentence in My Mind

What sentence have you been repeating?

Examples:

“They do not want me.”

“No one cares.”

“I must answer immediately.”

“I will always be alone.”

“I need to make them understand.”

“I cannot let this go.”

My repeated sentence is:

8. What This Sentence Produces

This inward sentence tends to produce:

☐ fear

☐ anger

☐ shame

☐ loneliness

☐ hopelessness

☐ resentment

☐ imagined arguments

☐ revenge thoughts

☐ withdrawal

☐ repeated checking

☐ difficulty sleeping

☐ impulsive messages

☐ harsh words

☐ loss of concentration

☐ unhealthy reassurance-seeking

☐ other: __________________________________________

9. Name the Mental Loop

The pattern I am noticing is primarily:

☐ rejection replay

☐ loneliness loop

☐ angry rumination

☐ imagined confrontation

☐ fear of abandonment

☐ repeated message checking

☐ assuming another person’s motives

☐ replaying what I should have said

☐ trying to control another person’s response

☐ treating one event as proof about my whole identity

☐ other: __________________________________________

I can name this without condemning myself:

This is ________________________________________. It is affecting me, but it does not have to rule me.

10. Separate Facts From Assumptions

What I Know

List only what you can observe or confirm.

Examples:

“The message has not been answered.”

“I was not invited.”

“The person canceled the meeting.”

“The conversation ended abruptly.”

What I Feel

Name your emotional experience.

Examples:

“I feel rejected.”

“I feel lonely.”

“I feel angry.”

“I feel embarrassed.”

What I Am Assuming

Identify conclusions that may or may not be true.

Examples:

“They must dislike me.”

“They are replacing me.”

“No one values me.”

“This relationship is over.”

What I Am Concluding About Myself or My Future

Examples:

“I do not matter.”

“I will always be alone.”

“I can never trust anyone.”

“I must withdraw before I am rejected again.”

11. The Deeper Script

Complete the sentence:

When this happens, I tend to tell myself that I am ________________________________________________.

This script may be connected to:

☐ a previous rejection

☐ a relationship loss

☐ feeling overlooked

☐ criticism

☐ family experiences

☐ a church or ministry experience

☐ a friendship that ended

☐ fear of being alone

☐ another experience I do not need to describe here

12. What Belongs to Me?

I may be responsible for:

☐ speaking truthfully

☐ apologizing for my part

☐ asking respectfully for clarification

☐ waiting before responding

☐ setting a wise boundary

☐ seeking counsel

☐ reporting harmful or unsafe conduct

☐ taking care of my body

☐ moving toward safe connection

☐ completing my responsibilities

☐ releasing revenge

☐ other: __________________________________________

13. What Does Not Belong to Me?

I cannot control:

☐ another person’s motives

☐ another person’s response

☐ whether someone agrees with me

☐ whether someone apologizes

☐ whether a relationship returns to what it was

☐ what other people think about me

☐ the entire outcome

☐ the past

☐ other: __________________________________________

A truthful sentence I can practice is:

I am responsible for ________________________________________, but I am not responsible for ________________________________________.

Movement Three: Welcome Scripture and the Holy Spirit

14. Welcome the Holy Spirit

Pray slowly:

Holy Spirit, help me recognize truth, distortion, fear, anger, shame, and wisdom.

Show me what to receive, resist, release, confess, grieve, address, or practice.

Lead me toward truth and faithful action.

15. Choose a Scripture for This Situation

Select one or write another passage.

☐ “Yahweh is my shepherd.”
Psalm 23:1

☐ “Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart.”
Psalm 34:18

☐ “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1

☐ “Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you.”
Psalm 55:22

☐ “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1

☐ Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:38–39

☐ “If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.”
Romans 12:18

☐ “Be angry, and don’t sin.”
Ephesians 4:26

☐ Think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, virtuous, and praiseworthy.
Philippians 4:8

☐ “Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7

☐ Another passage: __________________________________________

16. What This Scripture Does and Does Not Say

This passage does not require me to pretend that:

This passage reminds me that:

17. Use the Word “And”

Complete one or more sentences that hold honest emotion together with biblical truth.

I feel rejected, and __________________________________________.

I feel lonely, and ____________________________________________.

I feel angry, and _____________________________________________.

I feel uncertain, and _________________________________________.

This relationship matters to me, and ____________________________.

18. My Scripture-Shaped Replacement Sentence

Rewrite the repeated inner sentence from Question 7.

My old sentence was:

My new Scripture-shaped sentence is:

Examples:

“This rejection hurts, but it does not determine my worth before God.”

“I feel lonely, but this feeling cannot predict my entire future.”

“I am angry, but I do not have to feed revenge.”

“I do not know the other person’s complete motives.”

“I can seek clarity without demanding control.”

“I belong to Christ while this relationship remains uncertain.”

19. What the Holy Spirit May Be Inviting Me to Do

I sense an invitation to:

☐ receive God’s care

☐ resist a false conclusion

☐ release the need for control

☐ confess my part

☐ forgive without restoring unsafe trust

☐ grieve a loss

☐ wait before responding

☐ ask for clarification

☐ establish a boundary

☐ seek pastoral support

☐ seek counseling or medical support

☐ move toward healthy community

☐ complete one faithful responsibility

☐ rest

☐ other: __________________________________________

20. My Entrusting Prayer

Lord Jesus, I give You:

I release my demand that:

Help me receive:

Movement Four: One Faithful Step

21. My Personal GROUND Plan

G: Give the Thought to God

The thought I need to give to God is:

My brief prayer will be:

“Lord Jesus, _________________________________________________.”

R: Return to the Present Moment

Five things I can see:

Four things I can physically feel:

Three things I can hear:

Two things I can smell:

One mercy for which I can thank God:

O: Open the Body to Wise Care

One bodily sign that tells me I am entering a mental loop is:

A wise embodied practice I can use is:

☐ slow my breathing

☐ relax my shoulders and hands

☐ change my posture

☐ drink water

☐ eat a nourishing meal

☐ take a brief walk

☐ stretch or move within my abilities

☐ rest

☐ place my phone in another room

☐ stop rereading a message

☐ prepare for sleep

☐ contact a medical professional about concerning symptoms

☐ other: __________________________________________

U: Use One Scripture Sentence

The short Scripture sentence I will practice is:

I will place it:

☐ in my phone notes

☐ on a card

☐ beside my bed

☐ near my workspace

☐ in my Bible

☐ somewhere else: __________________________________________

N: Notice the Next Faithful Action

My next faithful action is:

☐ wait before responding

☐ write a draft without sending it

☐ ask a trusted person to review my response

☐ ask respectfully for clarification

☐ apologize for my part

☐ set a boundary

☐ stop checking my phone

☐ attend a healthy gathering

☐ contact a safe person

☐ complete an ordinary responsibility

☐ schedule pastoral care

☐ schedule counseling or medical care

☐ report a harmful or unsafe situation appropriately

☐ prepare for rest

☐ other: __________________________________________

The specific action I will take is:

D: Do It With Christ

My prayer before taking this action will be:

“Lord Jesus, walk with me as I _________________________________.”

22. My Safe Connection Plan

A Safe Person

One person I may contact is:

What I may ask for:

☐ prayer

☐ listening

☐ encouragement

☐ help separating facts from assumptions

☐ accountability before I send a message

☐ help finding professional support

☐ practical companionship

☐ other: __________________________________________

A Healthy Community

One healthy place where I can participate is:

☐ church worship

☐ small group

☐ Bible study

☐ Soul Center gathering

☐ volunteer opportunity

☐ class

☐ support group

☐ community activity

☐ another safe setting: ______________________________________

My next participation step is:

A Professional or Pastoral Resource

A person or resource I may contact when needed is:

23. Connection Boundaries

Safe connection does not require sharing everything with everyone.

I choose to share:

I choose to keep private:

A boundary I may need is:

A person or situation that may not be safe for direct contact is:

I will seek appropriate guidance rather than confronting an unsafe or dangerous person privately.

24. My Response Window

When I feel pressure to react immediately, I will:

☐ wait ten minutes

☐ wait thirty minutes

☐ wait several hours

☐ sleep before responding

☐ pray before responding

☐ ask someone trustworthy to review my words

☐ respond immediately only when safety or legal responsibilities require it

My response-window plan is:

25. One Ordinary Faithful Task

One ordinary task I can complete while the situation remains unfinished is:

I will do this task with Christ by praying:

26. My One-Day Practice Plan

Within the next day, I will:

Give to God

Care for My Body

Speak Scripture

Pursue Safe Connection

Take Faithful Action

Entrust the Outcome

My GROUND Practice and Connection Plan

Use this section as the portfolio summary from this worksheet.

My Common Trigger

My Early Warning Signs

My Repeated Inner Sentence

My Scripture-Shaped Replacement Sentence

My GROUND Practice

Give:

Return:

Open:

Use:

Notice:

Do:

My Safe Connection Step

My Needed Boundary

My Next Faithful Action

What I Am Entrusting to Christ

Safety and Support Check

This worksheet is Christian education and personal reflection. It does not replace licensed counseling, medical care, trauma treatment, legal advice, domestic-violence intervention, addiction treatment, or emergency assistance.

Seek additional support when:

☐ mental replay is significantly disrupting sleep or daily life

☐ loneliness or rejection is producing persistent hopelessness

☐ anger feels difficult to control

☐ I am using substances to manage distress

☐ the situation involves abuse, coercion, stalking, threats, or violence

☐ I am considering harming myself or another person

☐ I am experiencing symptoms that require medical attention

☐ I need professional help processing trauma or relationship patterns

My Support Action

A safe action I can take is:

A person or service I can contact is:

When immediate danger is present, follow emergency procedures, applicable law, court orders, mandatory-reporting requirements, host-ministry policies, and qualified professional guidance.

Do not confront an abusive or dangerous person privately.

Seeking appropriate help can be an act of wisdom, courage, and faith.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for meeting me in the unfinished places of my life. You know the rejection, loneliness, anger, and mental loops I carry. Help me separate facts from assumptions and pain from false identity. Teach me to give my thoughts to You, return to the present moment, care wisely for my body, speak Scripture, recognize my next faithful action, and do it with You.

Lead me toward safe people and healthy community. Give me courage to establish necessary boundaries and seek qualified help when needed. Protect me from revenge, impulsive reactions, isolation, and hopeless conclusions. I entrust the people, conversations, and outcomes I cannot control to You.

Renew my mind and guide my whole organic human life in truth, grace, wisdom, and peace.

Amen.