Any life transition can be stressful, whether it be going back to school, work, or moving to a new city. As someone who just moved across the country from sunny California to the bustling, bright city lights of New York, I learned how to consciously ground myself to start my new life!

Stick around until the end, where a special guest will discuss how you can take it a step further!

Sight: Fake Plants, Pictures of Nature

If you are not surrounded by nature (residing in an urbanized area, too cold to go outside, etc.), synthetic plants and flowers that simulate nature are a great alternative! They are just as beautiful and scientifically proven to stimulate the positive psychological, physiological, and emotional effects you receive from being in actual nature. 

PLUS! You never have to water them! 

The Honey Bloom Wallpaper makes a simple yet perfect example. Especially with the months getting cooler, filling your space with cheerful colors such as blush pink, dainty blue, and burnt orange will surely leave a visual impact– brightening and embellishing your room and your mood!

Smell: Making coffee, preparing your favorite dishes, diffusers

Because change can be daunting, recreating smells to reminisce the memories of home brings alleviating comfort and ease. I choose three rejuvenating things to do for myself every morning, day, and night – they aren’t time-consuming and easy enough to do consistently.

Every morning, I take five minutes to make myself a cup of Jot Coffee. The smell of fresh coffee is incredibly consoling, and better yet, I’m saving myself some extra money by not having to go out every day!

For lunch, I’ll cook myself a hot lunch in just under 30 minutes with my Our Place Always Pan! Cooking clears my mind and gives me my well-deserved, mid-day break.

Come the evening…I turn on my Vitruvi Diffuser to soften up and wind down. My most favorite scent to use is lavender, and every time I turn on my diffuser, my body inevitably knows that it’s almost time for bed. In fact, natural lavender oils help to soothe aching muscles and joints, reduce stress levels, and induce healthy sleeping habits!

Sound: Sound machine, listening to music consciously

I cannot fall asleep without my sound machine, and it has become an absolute necessity of mine. Growing up, I always used white noise to go to bed, but after coming home my freshman year due to COVID-19, I found comfort in listening to the sounds of New York City traffic instead. But now that I am back in New York, I find myself listening to the sound of the ocean when I am feeling homesick.

Essentially, I used different sounds during different stages of my life. The same applies to music. In high school, I would get ready for class to calming music, and it wasn’t until noon that my body would seem to wake up fully. When you are about to spend a night out with your friends, you want to pump up the room with party music! However, I am very careful about when I listen to sad, melancholy songs and stay mindful of what messages the songs I’m listening to are sending to my subconscious. SenseForward Spotify Playlists are specifically curated to have positive, uplifting messages that keep you pumped up all day– I swear by them!

Taste: Tastes from your childhood

As a kid, every night before bed, my mom would make me and my sister tea, and we would snuggle up and watch tv together. Now every time I drink tea, the warm, comforting taste brings me back to my childhood. 

I use the Breville Tea Maker, but choosing your favorite food, drink, or treat from your childhood will bring you back to that safe space you sometimes long for when enduring change.

Touch: Comfort is key, destressing objects, holding a water bottle!

Focusing on this sense, specifically, has created the most change in my life. 

Comfort is key! I repeat… Comfort is KEY! 

I remember being in middle school, and the way to “fit in” was by wearing these horribly, uncomfortable high heels that would make my feet super sore after only twenty minutes. My walk always ended up being more of a limp. Now, I am so specific about the shoes I wear. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE heels, but I’ve learned that my black knee-high boots and low-cut Dr. Martens are just as cute and twice as comfortable. Rothy’s flats are also a great alternative, curated explicitly for comfort. When I am comfortable in my own body, I feel much more confident in my day-to-day life.

Destressing objects are also a great hands-on way of calming and centering my mind when filled with anxiety. My aunt gifted me a necklace for my 18th birthday with a quote engraved by her favorite 18th century poet, Rumi. “Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.” When I am anxious or need to make a big decision, I find myself grabbing onto my necklace for support. Another option I have is my Prima Renewal Stone. I keep one on my bedside table at night, and when I’m stressed, I’ll press it against pressure points.

Lastly, but surely not least, WATER! I am guilty of never drinking enough water. The only thing that has increased my water intake is bringing around a water bottle wherever I go. When I am bored in class and find myself drifting off, I drink my water. If I’m waiting in line and am getting impatient, I drink water. Drinking water is something to do when you are bored and keeps you off your phone! I swear by my BKR water bottle. It’s not too heavy and annoying to hold onto all day and is the perfect size to where I always feel accomplished by finishing it several times a day.

The five senses are often overlooked, but learning how I can personally benefit from my five senses has done miracles for my mental health. 

My wonderful mother was the first person to get me in tune with my five senses. She is my rock, my light, my cheerleader, and my mentor. She also loves to help others as well. Being a hypnotherapist, she has recently opened up my mind to my sixth sense. Here are some wise words from the one person I am lucky enough to be linked with forever.