16/10/2023
Are you prioritising your mental health?
What ways are you taking to be in the present moment?
Try the “5 senses” technique (also known as the “5,4,3,2,1” technique. It helps you focus on the present, the NOW. It works by connecting you with each of your five senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste.
Start by finding a quiet space, getting comfortable, dropping those shoulders, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath…INHALE…EXHALE…
5 (sight) - Look for five things:
Look around you and name five things you can see. Say each item out loud.
4 (touch) - Feel four sensations/things you can touch:
Focus on your body and acknowledge four things you can feel. For example, the hair on your head or the ground under your feet. As with sight, say each of these things out loud.
3 (listen) - Listen for three sounds:
What can you hear around you? Chirping of birds, the wind, maybe a car driving by? Name three sounds out loud.
2 (smell) - Smell two scents:
Take a deep breath through your nose. Name two things you can smell. If you can’t smell anything, think of two of your favourite smells.
1 (taste) - Taste one flavour:
A sweet maybe, the flavour of this morning’s coffee or tea. Name one thing you can taste and say it out loud. If you can’t taste anything, name one of your favourite flavours.
To end, take another deep breath. By now, you should hopefully be feeling a bit calmer.
