5-4-3-2-1, & Self-Soothing w/ the Senses

Grounding. Grounding? What is it, eating dirt? No! Well. It could be, as you focus on the taste, but that’s not too pleasurable. Unless you’re a worm. And if you’re a worm, I’m happy you’re here. Though I'm happy you're here regardless.

At times, our emotions can get a bit too overwhelming. It's in these times where we feel things may be getting a little too out of control. These experiences can be uncomfortable, and sometimes we need to engage in some intentional practice to bring us out of our heads, and disengage in whatever thought spiral we may have found ourselves funneling down into.

Grounding can help connect us to the present moment, as we engage in our physical senses to help center us, and can move us, sometimes fairly quickly, into the direction of stability & calm. The more “popular” grounding exercise you may have heard of is 5-4-3-2-1. To put it simply, it’s taking some time to direct your attention on your 5 senses in a more structured practice. They are:

Forget the order? No worries, do it in whatever order works for you! Above is the quick way, though if you have a bit more time to spare, let's dive a little deeper.

We want to take some time to fully engage in our senses, . Let's take a moment to lie back in our chair, with our feet planted on the ground, as we place a mindful focus on our breath.

We then:

Take a moment to pay attention to 5 things we can see: Place your attention, and name in your mind five things you can see in your immediate environment. Try to notice any new details, such as color, form, or texture. Try to find details that you may not have noticed before. Linger for a on each item for a few moments.

Take a moment to physically touch or feel 4 different items in our surroundings: Pick up something next to you. Notice the texture, weight, temperature. Try gently touching your clothes, or your skin, and notice how they feel. How would you describe this sensation?

Take a moment to pay attention to 3 things we can hear: Listen for three distinct sounds around you. Are they all combined? Try to parse them apart. These could be close by or further away. Are you listening to music? See if you can pay attention to each instrument at a time, noticing their rhythm and their sounds, and how they sound all together. Do you hear birds chirping? The air conditioner going? Traffic outside?

Take a moment to pay attention to 2 things we can smell: Notice if you can identify any scents in the air. Try grabbing a pillow, or any essential oils you may have laying around. What does your cat smell like? Placing your full attention on discerning any sort of scent.

Take a moment to acknowledge one thing we can taste. Can you notice how your saliva tastes? Notice any lingering taste of gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch? Do you have any candy in front of you that you can savor? A Starburst maybe?

As your exercise ends, perhaps taking some time to sit in what is, noticing how you feel, perhaps noting which sense or item you focused on stood out the most.

Similarly, in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), there is a Crisis Survival skill, Self-Soothing, that has you focus on pleasurable senses, where you comfort yourself in order to help calm your distress. Thinking about what helped you the most in the previous 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, what sense do you feel you could you gravitate towards in the future without thinking about it too much?

For me, it's touching the steering wheel as I'm driving, as I focus on my breathing. I engage in this practice when I notice a bit of anxiety starting to spike. Perhaps it might be listening to your favorite music, smelling a lemon, or feeling a stuffed animal. I know I love the smell of citrus & pine.

I hope that this was a helpful read, and that you have an additional tool in your tool-belt. This practice won't solve whatever it is that is causing you distress, though it may help move you into a place where you may be better equipped to do so. Best wishes!

5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste