50 Tips to Get Out of Your Head Using Your Five Senses—Right Now
A few years ago, I had an epiphany. I realized that I was spending so much time stuck in my head that I’d drifted away from my body.
As I rushed through my days, I was feeling disconnected from the world and other people, and also from myself.
I didn’t want the moments of my life to slip away, unnoticed.
When I looked for a way to get out of my head and into the world, for me, the answer was obvious: through my five senses. I could shake off my foggy preoccupation by rediscovering the world by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.
By being more mindful of the sensations I encountered, I could elevate the familiar experiences that were already part of my daily routines.
I did so many things to connect with my senses! In fact, I wrote a whole book about it: Life in Five Senses.
If you’re feeling stuck in your head, here are some practical, manageable suggestions of activities to try, right now.
How to get out of your head using your sense of sightWear something in a bright colorLook closely at the room you’re in—in a mirrorSpot the three-dimensional image hiding in a “magic eye” autosterogramCopy out a short poem or passage by using different colors for different wordsVisit a grocery store or drug store, and look closely at the packaging. What logos are most imaginative? Do certain colors dominate for particular items—pain relievers, dental products, organic?Search for a particular color: your favorite color, the Pantone “Color of the Year,” an unusual hueLook around with the eyes of a journalist — journalists notice things in a different wayLook around with the eyes of a touristWalk around your house with the thought, “Guests are visiting for the weekend”Look through an art book and decide which object is your favoriteTurn your phone to grayscaleReturn to a familiar place you haven’t visited in a long time—your former neighborhood, school, grocery storeLook at some favorite photos from your childhood and try to figure out what year they were takenChange your smartphone’s home-screen so it displays someone or something that makes you happyFind a colored marker or crayon and draw a quick sketchLook online to find photos of places you’ve lived or worked in the pastHow to get out of your head using your sense of smellSmell some vanillaReflect: what was the smell of your grandparents’ kitchen?Identify the source of a bad smell in your surroundings, and eliminate itGo to your spice rack, open a jar without checking the label, and take a big sniff. Can you identify it?Smell something with a strong odor with one nostril, then the other, to compare how each nostril registers a slightly different smellTake a deep whiff of five items in your fridge
How to get out of your head using your sense of hearingBlow a tune on a harmonica or kazooChoose a new ringtone or alarm tone for your smartphoneVisit the “The Nostalgia Machine” website and listen to some of the top songs from a significant yearWhistle a tuneChoose a favorite song, sit down, close your eyes, and listen without distractionGo outside and count how many different types of noises you hearPlay an instrument—whether that’s a piano, guitar, whistle, wind chimes, xylophone, music boxListen to the mysterious Shepard tone
How to get out of your head using your sense of tasteSample some ketchup and note all five tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umamiHave a “shower orange” – eat a cold orange in a hot showerIdentify one of your favorite foods from childhood and make a plan to eat it againBrush your teeth and pay close attention to the feel of the toothbrush and the taste of the toothpasteAdd a pinch of salt to a bitter-tasting food or beverage to note how salt reduces the bitterness
How to get out of your head using your sense of touchWalk barefoot on a stone or tile floor Register the heat of your coffee or tea radiating through the mugHold an ice cube in your mouthRub your fingers against velvet Open your fridge’s freezer and feel the cold air hit your faceTouch a plant with an interesting texture: cactus, African violet, aloe, lamb’s ear, moss, jade plantFrom your clothes, identify one uncomfortable item—something that’s too scratchy, too tight, too loose, or too stiff, and decide whether you want to keep itLight a matchPet a cat or dogRub corn starch between your fingers for the squeaky feelingHug a friend or family memberMake a paper airplane, fortune-teller or origami figureRun your hands across tree barkDo one thing to make the environment of your car more pleasantCrumple, smooth, and shape a piece of tin foil
Why we should get out of our head and into the world
Exploring our five senses allows us to connect more deeply with the world, with other people, and ourselves.
If you’d like to learn more about the five senses and how they work together, read “Making Sense of the World, Several Senses at a Time.”
Through our five senses, we can knit body and mind together for a greater sense of energy, playfulness, and connection—more vitality.
The present feels more vivid, because we experience each moment with more intensity and mindfulnessWe also feel more deeply connected to our past and to our memoriesWe deepen relationships; sharing an experience of the body is a great way to connectCreativity gets sparked as we reach out to connect with the worldWe feel both calmer and more energetic We have more moments of fun, play, and delight With our five senses, we give ourselves healthy treats, in contrast to the numbing of food, TV, or social media
Our physical experience always colors our mental and emotional experience. By connecting with our outer life, through our five senses we revitalize our inner life.
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