The Gift of Sensory Writing

Sensory Writing is a fabulous addition to your wellbeing toolkit. It can be used in a multitude of ways for a multitude of reasons. Let’s work through some of these ways together.

The basic premise of sensory writing is to experience the full five senses in all of their magnitude. Let’s start . . . stop and look around you (if safe to do so!), breathe slowly in and out and start to count down the following list.

Aim to notice that which you might normally miss. What are . . .

• 5 things you can see?

• 4 things you can hear?

• 3 things you can smell?

• 2 things you can touch?

• 1 thing you can taste?

Doing this can be incredibly useful if you need a positive reset quickly as studies have shown that the ability to be fully present in the moment, can enhance the experience of positive emotions.

Try to do it twice a day, turn it into a habit - it only takes a few minutes . . .

This is only the start, we can take it a little further . . .

Here are some ideas - aim to savour the small moments in your day that bring you pleasure. Opportunities to savour pleasant experiences can be found almost anywhere, they don’t need to be anything out of your ordinary day.

• a room where you feel at home

• a meal that you are really enjoying eating

• a place in nature that you like to visit

• drinking that first cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate . . .

• taking a bath

• watching a football, rugby, tennis match

The more that you do it, the more that you will gain a positive reset from it. The dual benefit is that it will also help you if you use it as a technique when moments of stress or anxiety threaten to overwhelm.

More ways to use Sensory Writing:

With  photographs - they can help you to connect more fully with your memories. (This is the foundation of memoir writing, after all!)

In moments of awe - sunset, sunrise, the beauty of a flower, an amazing voice. (I saw the Northern Lights for the first time this week - a moment of awe, for sure!)

Let me know if you try it, I'm always happy to chat about how we can add to our wellbeing toolkit. If you'd like to explore writing for wellbeing a little further, have a look at my six session Writing for Wellbeing course.

It's 1:1, with me, online or in person, and it's truly excellent for helping you to connect more fully with your inner self and thus add to your essential wellbeing and self belief.

Enjoy some Sensory Writing, I hope it helps you in times of joy, in times of fear, in times of awe and in times of doubt.