Tonight, I am delivering a talk on Everyday Mindfulness for the Second Annual Waterfront Wellness Series hosted by Medifast® in Baltimore’s beautiful Inner Harbor. As a preview to this event (and for those not in the Baltimore area and who can’t attend), I thought I’d write about my favorite mindfulness technique that I like to do. What’s great is that this technique is quick, simple, and can have enormous benefits for your day. It’s called Come to Your Senses.
If you find yourself having trouble clearing your mind of worries and stress, try focusing on your senses:
- To yourself, begin by naming five (5) things you see in front of you.
- Identify four (4) colors that you see.
- Describe three (3) sensations your body is feeling, such as temperature, the texture of your sweater, or your feet against the ground.
- Name two (2) sounds you can hear.
- State one (1) scent you can smell.
This will give you space between you and these worrisome, stressful thoughts and root you in the present moment. This won’t make stress and worry disappear, mind you, but it allows you the opportunity to respond to it more effectively as opposed to tempestuously. For example, instead of reaching for comfort food when stressed, you can Come to Your Senses and then reach for the phone and call a friend to talk about what’s bothering you. For, in the immortal words of the Stoic philosopher Epictetus “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Give it a try!
