What's covered: How to give your busy mind a break using a simple grounding technique to quickly bring you back to the present moment
Presence and mindfulness - they sound great in theory, but often fall flat in reality (a lot like eating perfectly or never getting angry).
I know, I get it.
You can have a genuine desire to be more present, but so easily get stuck on the how or the when.
So here's a quickie presence practice that you can do anywhere, anytime - even while you're sitting on the toilet! ;-)
This simple 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique will quickly bring you back to the present moment (aka life's calm zone):
Name...
5 x things you can SEE 4 x things you can TOUCH 3 x things you can HEAR 2 x things you can SMELL 1 x thing you can TASTE The key is not to over-think it; say what first comes into your head. Here's my 5-4-3-2-1 presence practice... 5 x things I can see: a dog wagging its tail; palm leaves shimmying in the breeze; a cloudless blue sky; the glow of my computer screen; towels drying on the line
4 x things I can touch: the smooth keys on my laptop; the cool handle of my ceramic mug; the soft hairs on my arm; the bumpy grooves on my old wooden desk
3 x things I can hear: the twitter of a Willie Wagtail bird; the whirring of a passing car; the drone of a nearby Whipper Snipper (grass cutter)
2 x things I can smell: the earthy scent of Tea Tree and Petitgrain wafting from my essential oil vaporiser; the fresh smell of clean clothes
1 x thing I can taste: ...actually, this last question has reminded me how hungry I am, so excuse me while I go and "taste" my lunch!
Extra titbit... Psychologists and psychiatrists often recommend this 5-4-3-2-1 technique for pain management or acute anxiety. It's also extremely effective for bringing you back to the present moment when you're overwhelmed, obsessing over future worries or "caught up in your head." And kids love it too!
So, wherever this blog has found you, what can you SEE?
