Stress Awareness Month - It All makes Sense

We may have personal preferences about how we de-stress, preferences that suit our personality better than others.  But there is never just one way!!  Maybe there are some avenues to de-stress that you have never tried or even considered before.  

One thing is for sure. The art or the act of de-stressing can and should involve more than just one of our five God-given senses.

SIGHT  -  develop the habit of stopping each day for 5-10 minutes (or longer, if you're able). Take a look around you and choose five different things in your environment.  Notice the colours and shapes.  Why did you choose those things?  What do they say to you?  What do they help you to appreciate in this moment?  Describe them, as if to someone who has never seen them before.  Consider the positive emotions they evoke.

TOUCH  -  Find three ways to interact with your environment using the sense of touch  -  the feel of a particular fabric, the sand or the grass between your toes, the brush of the breeze on your face.  Let that sense of touch fill you.

HEARING  -  Close your eyes for several minutes.  What sounds do you hear  -  the wind in the trees, or rain on a window, a dog barking, birds singing, children playing, traffic passing by.  Consider the things you can be thankful for as a result of what you hear.  I recently sat in my garden in the sunshine, listening to the birds and the neighbours' children and for a moment the stress of coronavirus did not exist, all was normal and well with the world. It was a precious moment.

TASTE  -  Take time when you eat and drink to savour the flavours; don't just eat without thinking.  Let your taste buds come alive and appreciate all that you have.  I have personally found that fasting for periods of the day or a whole day have helped me to appreciate my food more; not just because it fills my belly, but because the flavours are so much more alive.

SMELL  -  Maybe you have some favourite smells. Smells that evoke good memories or help you to feel peaceful and relaxed - explore these smells. Some of my favourites are freshly mown grass, real leather, fresh strawberries or a nicely scented candle.