Grounding Exercises by the NHS

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
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This is a gentle reminder to pause and take some time to ground and centre yourself amidst your busy work week.

5-4-3-2-1 is a simple activity that you can engage with to explore mindfulness. Have you tried it?

Instructions:
5. Look around and name five things that you can see around you. Think about the colours and shapes of what you are looking at. What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it?

4. Focus on four things that you can feel. Think about how they feel, are they soft or hard? Smooth or rough? Cold or warm?

3. Name three things that you can hear around you. You may be able to hear people outside or the wind blowing. Think about how loud or quiet the noises are. Are they noises you hear often?

2. Notice two things that you can smell around you right now. This could be a flower, the smell of your clothes or the shampoo in your hair. Think about what you like about that smell.

1. Focus on one thing that you can taste. If you can't taste anything, then instead you can choose your favourite thing to taste.

How did you feel after that? Share your thoughts!