I suppose this particular blog is what they call a “throw away.” It is a simple piece that came about because of something I read earlier in the week. The piece was about easing anxiety by connecting with your 5 senses.

The piece says that when you start to feel anxiety, uneasy you can calm down with the “five senses” or “5,4,3,2,1” technique. It is a way to connect with the present instead of being anxious about the future.

You are to find a quiet place, take a deep breath and then:

5 (Sight) – Look for five things. Look around you and name five things you can see. Say each item out loud. For example, you might say: ‘I see a computer, I see a pen, I see a cup, I see a photo, I see a light.’

Next – 4 (Touch) Feel four sensations. Focus on your body and acknowledge four things you can feel. For example, the hair on the back of your neck or the ground under your feet. As with sight, say each of these things out loud. 

Next – 3 (Hear/Listen) Listen for three sounds. What can you hear around you? Birds, traffic, a ringing phone? Name three sounds out loud.

Next – 2 (Smell) Smell two scents. Take a deep breath through your nose. Name two things you can smell. If you can’t smell anything, think of two of your favorite smells.

Finally, 1 (Taste) Taste one flavor. Toothpaste from brushing your teeth, a mint from after lunch, the lingering flavor of this morning’s coffee. Name one thing you can taste and say it out loud. If you can’t taste anything, name one of your favorite flavors.

I thought of the article when I woke up this afternoon. I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee, which always makes me happy.

Before getting ready for work, I walked outside and my neighbor had cut his grass – yet another one of my favorite smells.

As I walked to my car to leave for work, a slight breeze brought the sweet smells of the lilac bushes toward me.

They seem to grow bigger every year. They are extra fragrant this year. I always feel like their wonderful aromas are not around long enough. I suppose this fact makes me appreciate the smell of them every year.

I was actually quite surprised at this picture I took with my phone…

I love the detail of the flower.

So what is the point of this blog – I don’t know, really. As you go through your day today, pause and enjoy some of the smells of summer.