How many times do you get into bed and realise you feel like you just rushed through your day, not really experiencing anything fully? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Many of us, myself included, sometimes feel that life is rushing past and we don’t know how to catch up!

This morning, with the sun making a much needed appearance, I decided to go for a walk by the sea and as often happens on these walks, I got to thinking, this time about how to get more ‘in touch’ with my life.

Our Senses.

Think about the last time you felt you were really ‘in the moment’, chances are it has something to do with a sensory experience, such as a smell, sight, sound, taste or feeling. Our senses are our ‘connection’ to the world and they can also be the key to bringing us into the here and now.

Let’s look at some ways to incorporate sensory experience consciously into our lives..

Sight.

Something I notice myself doing when I am taking one of my walks, is that my mind wanders and I don’t really see the beauty of the day around me. When I make the effort to really look and really see, I find that I finish my walk refreshed and rejuvenated as my mind has had a rest and I’ve been visually nourished by the uplifting images of the sun on the waves, children playing, a seagull swooping past, a dog barking in the surf..

Bringing our vision back to ‘now’ is a wonderful way to notice the wonders which surround us and put our worries on the back burner for a while. Taking our eyes to the outside rather than proceeding on automatic while planning into the future, helps us to feel gratitude for what we see and be more present in the day and moment.

Colour therapy.

Different colours influence our mood in different ways and incorporating colour into your daily visual experience can be of great benefit to your mental and emotional wellbeing. Try buying colourful stationery, having bright cushions in your living room, putting a vase of flowers on your kitchen table and wearing a scarf or top which expresses the colour of your mood that day. Take a minute and just immerse yourself in the yellow of a sunflower, the blue hues of the waves, the pink of your little ones cheeks or the fire of the setting sun. Drink in the colour, imagining that you are taking it into your body with your breath and as you breathe out, imaging any worries or physical aches leaving your body.

Tomorrow we will take a look at how to celebrate your sense of smell.. for now I’m off to make the most of a Spring evening outside!