Wake Up Your Senses
Gather your notebook (or a piece of paper) and a pen. Find a comfortable place on a sofa, a chair at your desk, or on a cushion on the floor.
Make sure that the location is relatively quiet and free from interruption. See that your back is supported, or at ease and that you are sitting upright. You may cross your legs if you wish or sit with your feet planted firmly on the floor.
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Take a few moments to sense the inflow and outflow of breath. Allow your awareness to follow the breath as it expands your lungs and abdomen and exits through your nose. With each breath begin to let go a bit more, releasing any tension or pain in your neck and shoulders, your arms, back, hips, and legs. Sense the inflow of the breath as it fills your lungs, and then sense the outflow as you slowly let go and begin to relax.
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Write down 10 observations about your surroundings that are connected to your senses. For example, “the leafless tree out my window,” “the cloudless sky,” “the hardwood floor beneath me,” “the colourful books on my shelves,” “the soft cushion at my back,” “the citrusy, warming tea I’m drinking,” “the fragrant candle beside me.”
As shown here, these can be in point form; the idea is just to get them down.
This exercise can help you to become more aware of your surroundings, more present, and more in tune with your body.
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Benefits
Benefit #1
Become a better, more intuitive writer and unleash ideas for your writing. Being more present can help you tap into your senses and write from that place.
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Benefit #2
When we write freely, our anxious, judging selves may show up in our writing. Seeing these thoughts written down can help us release old patterns and beliefs and allow us to feel more energized.
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Benefit #3
Holding a pen rather than writing on a computer can make us calmer, tap into our creativity, and unite the right and left sides of the brain.
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Benefit #4
Overcome obstacles to happiness and self-awareness.
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Benefit #5
Become more self confident and more trusting of yourself.