5 4 3 2 1 Technique to Reduce Anxiety, Ground Yourself and Get Present

Maybe you have heard the quote by Lisa Unger “The past is history, the future is a mystery and the present is a gift.” They say being stuck in the past creates depression. We are lingering in a place that no longer exists. Holding tight to an old story. Having our thoughts always in the future creates anxiety. We are creating a story here as well. We have no idea what the future holds yet our imaginations love to run wild. When we can get in the moment and be right here, right now, we can experience the gift of this very moment. Regardless of what is going on in our lives, if we can stop the storytelling and ask ourselves “how am I right now at this very moment?” You may find you are ok right now in this very moment.

If you have been experiencing a lot of anxiety, give the 5 4 3 2 1 technique a try.

 This five-step exercise can be very helpful during periods of anxiety or panic by helping to ground you in the present when your mind is bouncing around between various anxious thoughts.

Before starting this exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm or help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, go through the following steps to help ground yourself: 

5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a spot on the ceiling, anything in your surroundings.

4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a pillow, or the ground under your feet. 

3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.

2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in your office and smell pencil, or maybe you are in your bedroom and smell a pillow. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.

1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch?

If you are experiencing anxiety on a regular basis, a routing of consistent acupuncture can help you calm your nervous system, sleep better and feel more grounded!