This technique gets you to use all your five senses. The goal of this exercise is to help you slow down and live in the present. This is an especially useful tool when you find yourself ruminating on the past or having anxiety over the future.
1. Start by finding a spot to sit comfortably.
2. Close your eyes and taking a couple of deep breaths. In through your nose (count to 3)...and out through your mouth (count to 3).
3. Now, open your eyes and look around you. Name out loud:
5 things you can see (look in the room or out of the window)
4 things you can feel (the softness of your skin, the texture of the material on your chair, what does your hair feel like? What is in front of you that you can touch?)
3 things you can hear (cars, birds chirping outside)
2 things you can smell (food cooking, hand lotion)
1 thing you can taste (You can leave your chair for this one and when you taste whatever it is that you have chosen, take a small bite or sip and leave it in your mouth for a couple of seconds, savor the flavor or enjoying the crispness of the water or warmth of your tea.)
4. Take a deep breath to end.
Ready to try it out? Follow along with Health-Wellness Coach Olivia in this guided video:
Dixit, J. (2008). The art of now: Six steps to living in the moment. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200811/the-art-now-six-steps-living-in-the-moment
Formica, M. J. (2011). 5 steps for being present. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enlightened-living/201106/5-steps-being-present