Many mindfulness practices encourage turning inward: noticing inner sensations and thoughts nonjudgmentally, non reactively. This can be a powerful practice. But so can turning attention outward to take in one’s surroundings. Not only can this function as a grounding practice, it can also awaken creativity and curiosity as we tune in to the details and nuances of the present moment we are embedded in. This practice comes from my Whole Health Card Deck, available on Amazon and Etsy.
There are different variations of this 1 2 3 4 5 practice. My favorite version encourages you to identify:
1 sound you can hear
2 scents you can smell
3 sensations you feel inside and/or outside your body
4 colors you can see
5 objects you can see
Others versions include taste. I don’t include this particularly in the context of emotional eating and weight loss because I want to encourage a focus on experiences other than food and eating.