5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise with morning coffee

Before I take my first sip of coffee, I do a quick grounding exercise. I’m not a therapist who schedules 20 minutes to meditate everyday, but I do try to slow my mind first thing. I notice that my attention span suffers when I don’t take these 30-60 seconds in the morning.

With my coffee mug, I look out my living kitchen window and notice:

5 things I can see (usually try to find 5 different colors)

4 things I can hear (the sound of the fountain in the courtyard, cars outside, the whirring of my air purifier, my dog’s footsteps)

3 things I can feel (the hot coffee mug, my pajamas, the cool window)

2 things I can smell (the coffee, anything outside the window)

1 thing I can taste (the coffee… duh)

And because I’m human, I manage to do this 3-4 times a week.