Free tools
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise
When your thoughts are racing, your senses bring you back to where you are. Go slowly. Tap a circle each time you notice something.
Step 1 of 5 · See
Find five things you can see
Look around slowly. A colour, a shadow, something small you had not noticed before.
Step 2 of 5 · Touch
Four things you can feel
Your feet on the floor, the fabric of your sleeve, the air on your skin, the chair beneath you.
Step 3 of 5 · Hear
Three things you can hear
Listen past the obvious. Traffic far away, a hum, your own breathing.
Step 4 of 5 · Smell
Two things you can smell
Coffee, soap, fresh air. If nothing comes, think of two smells you like.
Step 5 of 5 · Taste
One thing you can taste
Take a sip of water, or simply notice the taste in your mouth right now.
You are here.
Take one slow breath. Notice whether anything has shifted, even slightly. You can repeat this as often as you need.
Nothing you do here is recorded.
Why it works
Anxiety pulls your attention into the future: what might happen, what could go wrong. Your senses only work in the present. Naming what you can see, feel and hear gives a busy mind a simple job and tells your nervous system that, right now, you are safe.
When to use it
- At the first signs of panic
- When thoughts are spiralling at night
- Before a meeting, exam or difficult conversation
- After something upsetting, to settle
Grounding helps in the moment and does not replace professional care. If you need it most days, a therapist can help with the causes: see therapy for anxiety or panic attacks.
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