Look into proprioception; simply put, if you’re unfamiliar, proprioception is essentially the ability to perceive the boundaries of your body/where you are in space and/or in relation to things like furniture, that uneven section of the sidewalk, door frames, other people, etc. Some people have lower proprioception.

Low proprioception can also result in reduced perception of physical stimulation; this might look like someone who:

• throws themselves onto the couch,

• hugs too hard,

• regularly gives a painfully strong handshake,

• often talks too loud,

• drops things frequently, etc.

It’s already been mentioned that folks on the ADHD and/or autism spectrum are more likely to have low proprioception, so if you see yourself (or as you were as a child, since many descriptions are centered around ways this would present in children) in some descriptions of common experiences of those with low proprioception and also diagnosed with ADHD and/or autism, you may find value in pursuing assessment yourself (this was the case for me, diagnosed at 38). Or you may not.

Either way (associated with a medical diagnosis or not), proprioception can be improved if there is interest in doing so. For example, movements that cross the body are helpful in increasing awareness of where your body is in space, which can increase awareness of where other things are in space as well. For me this led to not only the anticipated outcome of fewer run-ins with tables, doorframes, etc, but also reduced frequency for things like dropping my keys, knocking over drinks, all forms of spilling on myself, and tripping over stuff.

So a lot of people that I know that are pretty clumsy are those people that are always in a rush or moving too quickly. They always have something else on their mind other than being in the present.

So some tips are to just be more observant. I know that’s an easy thing to say, and in practice it’s much more difficult, but just check your surroundings and pre-plan movements in your head. If you see something that you could bump your head into, make a mental note that you need to give it more space than you’re thinking. If you’re always dropping something, then make a plan to put it into place where it won’t fall. Like grabbing your phone and putting it in your pocket or your purse.

I think linear thinking helps reduce clumsiness. To get into mindset of following steps a, b, and c when performing a task could help. That being said, I am no expert and we all are clumsy from time to time.

Slow down, concentrate only on what you’re doing, act deliberately.

You might try to learn somehting to connect better to your body. could be anything from sports, Tai Chi, Qigong really. Since I started to practise Qigong every day, i became less clumsy and even if somehting slips out of my grip I can grab it before it hits the floor now, really neat!

Small suggestion, research drop foot. A small amount of nerve damage can cause the foot to drag a bit and will cause falls and clumsiness.

There are probably other suggestions that are better. But I noticed getting a lot more coordinated after starting to rock climb. It involves a lot of very focused and timed body movement, keeping track of your center of gravity(balance) and how forces and movement travel through your body. Things like dancing and bodily awareness became a lot more effortless after climbing.

My nickname has been “Crash” for most of my life because I’m a very accident-prone person. Over the years I’ve learned to slow down and move with purpose by taking a split second to think “what am I about to do here?” before taking action.

I notice when I’m in a rush I tend to stumble and drop things a lot so I try to avoid that by planning ahead when I have time. This usually means getting seasonings out while the pan is still heating up, getting my things around for work the night before, or just generally preparing for what I know is coming.

I’ve also learned to NOT stand up quickly near cabinets (I have scars from this lesson), push doors all the way open if I’m passing through (it’s always that one belt loop), and not leave things lying around in the middle of the floor (some dog toys are worse than legos). Just generally trying to be more aware of your surroundings.

Along with the suggestions to check for neurospiciness; general balance work and things like ballroom dance, yoga, and martial arts are really helpful to increase proprioception and generally get you feeling more “in” and “connected” to your body.

EDIT: punctuation for better clarity

In all seriousness: get screened for ADHD and autism.

1 how old are you? When your body is growing it’s hard to have a sense where you end. 2. I’ve had vitamin deficiency that affected my mood and coordination.

Exercise and being more active probably. I find a little weed helps when trying to rewire the brain too.

Go to a doctor and ask for extensive blood tests to check for defficiencies to make sure your brain is not malfunctioning because of something you can treat rather than this being the norm.