Use your five senses to help you feel good ! (Bugger Looking Good!)

As I have mentioned before one of the highlights of establishing WonderWalkers has been the opportunity to meet some awesome people, although I must admit that I met Janet during the “Like Minds Like Us “ campaign. However given her wealth of experience I asked if she would mind writing something for WW that encompasses more than just our physical being.

My background is as a registered psychologist and although these days I do not see people for therapy I am very interested in what people can do to enhance their lives.

In this series of five contributions to Wonder Walkers I am going to suggest that we can all enhance our daily lives by choosing to use our senses in a more deliberate way. In other words bringing more into our lives of what makes us feel good!

I believe that we are all unique individuals and whatever our living situation: in a large family, with or without a partner, living alone; young, middle-aged, or older; healthy or with health issues; rich or poor – we can all actively DO things to enhance our lives. One way of doing this can be to encourage your ‘sensual’ side.

The Collins dictionary says that the word “sense’ means any of the faculties (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) by which the mind receives and perceives information about the external world or the state of the body.

Let’s look at the small things we can do to use these senses to have a more pleasurable life for both ourselves – and also for those people we care about.

Sight

I don’t know about you but I love the sight of flowers. I dare anyone to walk around a beautiful garden and not be moved by the beauty of the flowers. Recently I went to a Rose Show in Tauranga with my mother. The scent, size and sheer beauty of these flowers were breathtaking – from miniature roses to giant plate sized beauties.

People watching is an activity that some people enjoy. Going to the movies is a way of being captured visually too. The sight of a cake coming out of the oven, the smile on your friend’s face when you surprise her/him with a treat – the list is endless.

The sight of a pet running to greet you when you get home is always pleasurable.

People who collect things (whether it be china, shells whatever) often feel happy when they spot these items in their travels. I know that even though I am 54 and despite having done it ever since I was a university student – I still love seeing “finds” in an op shop – whether it be old china or a vintage blouse.

Also for me just looking at a beach scene makes me feel good. For you it may be your garden, the bush or seeing friends. Sometimes it can pay to “be a tourist in your own land”. This means that you could take the time to do in your area what a tourist might do. Often we miss out on our own local sights – forgetting to taken them in.

Think about what sights you enjoy and see if you can arrange to see one at least once a day – the more the better! And remember the joy of giving – if you know a friend, colleague or family member would appreciate seeing a letter or small gift – do it! Also in this day and age of photos and videos there are many ways to make a small video to brighten up someone’s day.

Hearing

The obvious sound here to think about first is music. There are a myriad of sounds available in terms of music – the problem is how to choose. Think about when you like listening to music (e.g. while on the computer, while doing housework, while relaxing) and what you like (e.g. classical, jazz, soul blues etc) and then do it! CDs can be borrowed from the public library if cost is an issue.

Some people really enjoy listening to “listening books” in some situations. As with CDs, these are available from your local library.

Other sounds can also be soothing and pleasurable. For example the sound of the sea, birdsong, and hearing babies chuckling, or people laughing.

The sound of your favourite person/peoples’ voices on the phone can bring pleasure – and that just means picking up the phone. If they are overseas you can now use technology to have cheaper conversation or even see people online in real time using things such as “Skype”.

Think about what sounds make you fee good and try and arrange for them to happen! Again remember that giving of sound to others can be a great gift. Making a tape to send either locally or overseas is a personal way to share your voice with others (and your favourite sounds).

Touch

I think touch is underrated in making us feel good. Some people for a variety of reasons (personal experience, family experiences cultural issues) are not used to touch (e.g. being hugged). Think about what sort of touch you are comfortable with and why this might be so.

Sometimes we have to make the first gesture. It is now more common to kiss and/or hug a friend or family member when you see them. If you aren’t used to doing this start doing it with people that you are really close to and see the response – usually you will find that people respond in kind.

Some cultures are much better than others at giving and receiving affection. We can, for example, learn from Maori in this regard.

Touch can also be really important when a person is grieving or distressed. Just a hand on someone‘s arm can be a comfort to someone who is hurting in some way.

Massage is a lovely way of receiving touch in a non-threatening and relaxing way. If you are able to get a massage make sure that you tell the masseur exactly what you want. I once went for a massage and was nearly pummeled to death by someone used to massaging rugby players when all I wanted was a relaxing massage – I learnt quickly to say what I wanted first!

Other things that touch your skin may be materials (e.g. silk or cotton). I find the older I get the more I appreciate good old cotton close to my skin. Anything synthetic or even silk brings me out in a menopausal flush!

As with all the other senses gifts of touch are often really appreciated (e.g. a massage voucher for a friend; or a 10 minute neck rub from you).

Taste

We all know the gorgeous taste sensation of that first strawberry of the summer; or hot pumpkin soup with crusty bread on a cold winter’s day. I am suggesting that we can use wonderful tastes in our daily lives to enhance our lives.

Now let’s not go silly here – I am not saying that we all should go on an eating frenzy, hoovering ice-cream and chocolate BUT that we can bring luscious tastes that are good for us into our day in a simple way.

For example, take time to think about what foods you enjoy and what foods make you feel good. Think about what is in season and then what you can do to get them in a cheap way. Picking strawberries might be one way of getting in some activity, getting food cheaper as well as reaping the reward of having a bucketful of the little red beauties!

Watermelon is one food right now that allows you to dribble juice down your chin and experience the gorgeous sensation of juice without having the “etiquette police” on your shoulder frowning at the mess you are making. Fresh fruit salad in summer has to be one of the best taste sensations around – one way to make you feel happy to be alive.

For a vegetable salad – think about what you enjoy, what you can afford and put them all together! Growing your own veges is a sure way to get that salad you want.

We all enjoy getting “tasty” things as gifts. Make 2009 the year that you make all gifts (e.g. bake muffins or scones as a gift).

Smell

Smell is a sense that can be quite acute. We know when a perfume is pleasurable and when it is not. Browsing through the perfumes of essential oils is a lovely experience and using these to add a few drops of essential oil to a bath can be heavenly.

A friend of mine says the best smell in the world is the top of her granddaughter’s head – powder and warm baby.

It is possible to plant a garden that is strongly scented. At the moment I have star jasmine and gardenia’s flowering by my door – lovely wafts of perfume fill the air as I walk past. Also many herbs have a pleasant scent – it’s worth checking these out for your favorite smell.

We can share our love of perfume with others by giving simple gifts such as a bunch of flowers or a spray of herbs. It is not necessary to buy expensive perfume.

Think what are your favourite people's favourite scents? Don’t know – find out.

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