Find Calm: The 5 Senses Grounding Exercise
Ever have one of those moments where your brain decides to go on a full-on rollercoaster ride? Thoughts everywhere, heart racing, can’t focus on anything? Yep… me too. One simple trick I often suggest to my clients (and use myself) is the 5 Senses Grounding Exercise. It’s quick, surprisingly effective, and yes, you can do it without looking like you’ve completely lost it in public.
How It Works
This exercise uses your five senses: Sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste - to pull you back into the present moment. Here’s how you do it:
Take three deep breaths, and then (Sight) – Look around and name 5 things you can see. Could be your coffee mug, your hand, a lamp, birds in the sky - literally anything you can see!
Take three more breaths, and (Sound) – Notice 4 things you can hear. Maybe the fridge humming, traffic outside, birds, or your own breathing.
Take three more breaths, and (Touch) – Identify 3 things you can feel physically. The chair under you, your warm cup of tea, your feet on the floor, or the wind in your hair!
Take three more breaths, and (Smell) – Notice 2 things you can smell. This one’s a little harder - remember it doesn’t have to be accurate, just go with whatever comes to you first. Fresh air, coffee, a candle…
Take three more breaths, and (Taste) – Focus on 1 thing you can taste. Could be the lingering chocolate from earlier, gum, or your coffee from the morning. Again, don’t worry about accuracy - the goal is to get you to focus on your sense in the present!
Take a few final deep breaths, and notice throughout how your mind starts to settle. It’s like hitting the “pause” button on the chaos.
Why It Works
When anxiety or stress hits, our brain tends to live in the past or sprint ahead to the future. This exercise gently nudges it back to right now, so you feel calmer, more grounded, and more in control.
When to Use It
When anxiety spikes out of nowhere
Before a tricky conversation or stressful event
Mid-workday when everything feels too much
Or honestly, anytime your brain decides to throw a tantrum
Need a Bit More Support?
If you want to go beyond quick tricks and really get a handle on stress, anxiety, or just feeling a bit “meh,” I offer online counselling sessions from the comfort of your own home.
You can start with a free 20-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit with absolutely no obligation to commit.
