{"id":2235,"date":"2020-04-29T14:40:27","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T18:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/inside-rec\/?p=2235"},"modified":"2020-04-29T14:40:27","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T18:40:27","slug":"check-in-with-your-senses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/inside-rec\/2020\/04\/29\/check-in-with-your-senses\/","title":{"rendered":"Check In With Your Senses"},"content":{"rendered":"

During this specific time, life may seem more stressful than usual. It\u2019s important to check in with your senses to help remind you of the present and to get you through tough situations. By using your senses, you can calm yourself down and overcome some of your anxieties. A technique I recently learned about, and actually enjoyed doing, is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique<\/strong>.  This exercise allows you to ground yourself using all five of your senses, which gets you out of your head (where anxiety mostly occurs) and into the present moment.<\/p>\n

\"green<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s what you can do:
\n<\/strong>First, take a deep breath.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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SIGHT – 5 things<\/strong><\/p>\n

Look around to find 5 things you can see and say them out loud. 
\nExamples: \u201cI see my dog, I see the kitchen table, I see the sun shining\u201d, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

TOUCH – 4 things<\/strong><\/p>\n

Become aware of your body and think of 4 things you can feel right now, say them out loud.
\nExamples: \u201cI feel my fuzzy blanket, I feel my warm sweatshirt, I feel the air from the fan on my face\u201d, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

LISTEN – 3 things<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think of 3 things you can hear right now, and say them out loud.
\nExamples \u201cI hear country music playing, I hear the wind, I hear cars outside, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

SMELL – 2 things<\/strong><\/p>\n

Say out loud 2 things you can smell at the moment.
\nExamples: \u201cI smell my apple cinnamon candle burning, I smell my muffins in the oven\u201d, etc<\/em><\/p>\n

TASTE – 1 thing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Say out loud 1 thing you can taste, or your favorite thing to taste.
\nExample: \u201cI taste my French vanilla iced coffee, I love to taste a fresh garden tomato\u201d, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then, take another deep breath.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is just one method you can use to check in with your senses. It can be as specific or vague as you\u2019d like it to be. Everyone is built differently, hence why you may prefer a different method than others. It\u2019s essential to examine yourself sufficiently and do what works best for you.<\/p>\n

Here are some other things I enjoy that help me to get in touch with myself and reduce some stress. Hopefully, they can help you too<\/p>\n

SIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n