Our psychologist, Angel Lee-Aube, shares a strategy for promoting wellbeing during lockdown by focusing on our 5 senses.
In this extended lockdown, it’s hard to do the things we normally do to feel good, like going to the gym, taking a friend to lunch, travelling, or going somewhere that inspires us like a gallery or museum. But we can still get creative with new ways to invigorate our day. One way is to focus on our 5 senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. What are some ways that you might nurture your senses during lockdown?
Some examples:
See – Look through old photos that you have stashed away somewhere (in that box in the garage, or on that USB drive somewhere in the back of the stationery drawer). Watch funny animal videos online. Sit outside and watch the birds – do they have any idea what is going on with this COVID thing? Sit outside at night and take some time to look at the stars.
Smell – Light that expensive candle you were saving. Roast some coffee beans just to smell the aroma. Wear an old perfume or cologne that reminds you of a holiday or happy time in your life. Sit outside and smell the air – what does fresh air smell like?
Touch – Wear your nice cashmere sweater. Take a long hot shower and really focus on the sensation of the water as it tumbles down your back. Look up a recipe for playdough online and create a playdough sculpture that would make your 5-year-old self super proud!!
Hear – Blast your favourite music and have a dance! Search online for some of your favourite songs as a teenager and take a trip down memory lane. Look up some live performances from your favourite band that might be available on Youtube or somewhere else free online. Try watching your favourite movie, but dubbed in a foreign language.
Taste – Mindfully taste a glass of wine, a piece of chocolate, or that aged camembert that you were keeping for when we could finally have visitors over again…
There are endless creative ways to invigorate our senses, which in turn invigorates our mind and our sense of vitality. What ideas speak to you, and what ideas can you add to the list?
