5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique to Relieve Anxiety and Stress

We often feel the sensation of butterflies in our stomachs before making an important presentation at work. Some people feel shortness of breath or their heart pounding before public speaking, when taking off on an airplane, or interacting with someone who could be antagonistic. 

This technique helps you to shift your attention from focusing on the causes of anxiety to becoming aware of your five senses.

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 a 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?

 In short: deep breaths and acknowledge

5 – see

4 – touch

3 – hear

2 – smell

1 – taste

Give it a try the next time you feel stressed or anxious and in just 5-4-3-2-1 you will feel more relaxed.