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build your own sensory kit to deal with anxiety

anxiety

There's a lot of anxiety going on in my house these days.  I have two very driven, overachieving high school daughters born of two driven, perfectionist parents, and we're all pretty hard on ourselves sometimes.  Add to that a pandemic, followed by a variant, a divisive political climate, underfunded schools and overworked teachers, global warming, AP tests, honors classes, and 4:30 am wake up calls for marching band...Yep, there's a lot going on.

I was reminded last week of a technique that I had heard of in the past but hadn't done a very good job of implementing.  It's called the 5-4-3-2-1 technique for dealing with anxiety, and it goes something like this:

5: focus on 5 different things that you can see in your immediate surroundings.
4: look for 4 things you can touch around you.
3: notice 3 things you can hear right now.
2: find 2 things you can smell.
1: acknowledge 1 taste, usually whatever you ate or drank last.

The problem with this technique, like many complicated breathing patterns I've tried to learn, is that in the moment I can't remember how many of each thing I'm supposed to look for, and that in itself is apt to cause anxiety.  

Instead, I like to focus on just one thing for each of the five senses.  You can do this anywhere, without much difficulty, but I also put together a little kit that I keep handy whenever I need a mindfulness sensory break.

If you ever come to my house, you might notice that I have saucers of rocks scattered around on my patio, next to my bed, in the living room, and even in my garden.  I love rocks.  I call them Nature's little treasures (yes, I'm cheesy), and it has always calmed me to touch them and examine them.  I even have a few polished "pocket rocks" that I sometime carry with me--kinda like paleolithic fidget spinners.

In one of those saucers I have some of my favorite rocks (sight and touch), my favorite essential oil, Stress Away (smell), and peppermint oil (taste and smell).  The only thing lacking is auditory, but there's always plenty to hear, even if the house is empty--from the sound of the refrigerator running to the doves cooing outside.

You might also notice the tube of lip balm in the picture above.  That can cover taste, feel, and smell, and I almost always have a tube in my pocket or purse.

One of my daughters even put together her own kit to carry in her backpack at school.

Try this yourself right now.  Gather a few of your own favorite things and keep them handy.  Take just a minute or two each day to practice this, and see if it helps to take the edge off.  Instead of yelling at your kids, stuffing your face, or pouring a glass of wine, spend some time with your senses and see if it doesn't make you feel just a little bit better.

Peace and hugs, friends!


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