Self-Care A-Z: Sense-ible Self-Care
by Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, lead co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals
In our busy culture, self-care needs to be readily accessible and make sense. One of our most accessible forms of self-care is, literally, in-plain-sight, next-to-our-skin, on-the-tip-of-our-tongue, in-front-of-our nose, and “hear”-for-us. Join me in exploring and attending to Sense-ible Self-care!
Seeing, Touching, Tasting, Smelling, and Hearing
Gretchen Rubin’s Life in Five Senses offers a sense-ational (wink!) guide. In an engaging writing style, Rubin presents in-depth, interesting information and insights related to the “Big Five” senses. Rubin began her sensory exploration as a way to deepen her connection with and appreciation for the ordinary. She emphasizes we don’t necessarily have to expand our sensory experiences (e.g., Whew! No raw oysters!). We can accentuate our awareness and appreciation of, and access to, those available to us. Rubin provides a range of pragmatic activities and exercises for each sense and for wholistic sensory experiences, as well as additional resources.
Here’s a sampling from her myriad suggestions, with my take on them.
- Indulge in splurges of color: Bought a hot-pink vest at thrift store.
- Create an audio apothecary with your favorite songs: Compiling my list.
- Have interesting smell experiences: Hosted an essential oils party when my book club read The Scentkeeper.
- Hold a taste party: Conducted a taste-test with partner and friends to “research” the BEST bourbon balls. It’s a Kentucky thing.
- Drench your sense of touch: Take Epsom salt baths, y’all! Also, wear comfy clothes and shoes!
- Declutter and declatter (Stuff and NOISE!): Refrained from listening to a podcast, as I often do, on my walk. Instead, listened to nature’s soundtrack.
Rubin suggests doing sensory inventories, both in the moment and in memory. To heighten this experience, write it down and/or share it with someone. One chilly Saturday evening, my partner and I cozied-in at home. In a hear-and-now exercise, I jotted down: crackling fireplace, tinkling windchime, rustling pages as we read, tumbling laundry upstairs, ticking kitchen clock. And, a favorite sound: Silence. My compatible partner’s list was similar. Then, we discussed our favorite food tastes from different life phases. For instance, growing up on a farm, my memories include fresh eggs, garden vegetables, and my mother’s iron-skillet cornbread. My partner was a “specific-eater,” and peanut butter is his primary childhood taste memory.
Individualized, Integrated, and Intentional
Like much of self-care, sense-ible self-care needs to take into account individual values, preferences, and circumstances. It needs to be integrated into one’s lifestyle and requires intentionality. First, each individual has varying sensory capacities, such as diminished vision or hearing. Likewise, each of us has to consider current circumstances and be intentional about self-care that’s both realistic and imaginative. Whilst we need to individualize our sense-ible self-care, we learn from others’ experiences.
I intentionally integrate sensory experiences into meals with our elementary-age Grands. (We’re fortunate to have regular Grand Times!) Chopping, sizzling, bubbling, clanking, and humming are nurturing noises, as they fully participate in meal preparation and clean-up. When possible, we eat on the deck. Nature’s sensory contributions—open skies, singing birds, a nearby fountain—flavor the food. In inclement weather, we have candlelight dinners inside, with a colorful tablecloth, cloth napkins, and fresh flowers. We try to balance familiar foods with new tastes. Although one Grand prefers mostly white and brown foods, the pop of raspberries (his favorite berry) always appears. Savoring slow meals enhances tastes and textures. Sometimes, we play soft background music, but my favorite sound is the silly, wise, imaginative, nourishing conversation.
We all gotta eat! Intentionally integrate some sense-ible self-care into your individualized menu.
Sense You’re Here…
In my self-care journey, I’ve become more mindful, which engages sensory awareness in the here-and-now. With Rubin’s encouragement, I’m intentionally deepening that awareness. Also, Delight is my Word of the Year. I’m reading Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights—with brief entries about experiencing delight in daily life—and keeping a Delight Diary. I’m realizing that sense-ible self-care often infuses delight.
I’ve only begun to see the delight-ful benefits of sense-ible self-care. This post barely touches the surface and gives a taste of the potential for sense-ible self-care. I invite you to join me in sniffing out (wink!) every opportunity to practice it. And, let me hear how it’s going! Self-Care: It just makes sense!
Peace, Love, & Self-Care,
Erlene
Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, is a Partner in The Wellness Group, ETC. This LLC provides evaluation, training, and consultation for organizational wellness and practitioner well-being. Dr. Grise-Owens is lead editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals. As a former faculty member and graduate program director, she and a small (but mighty!) group of colleagues implemented an initiative to promote self-care as part of the social work education curriculum. Previously, she served in clinical and administrative roles. She has experience with navigating toxicity and dysfunction, up-close and personal! Likewise, as an educator, she saw students enter the field and quickly burn out. As a dedicated social worker, she believes the well-being of practitioners is a matter of social justice and human rights. Thus, she is on a mission to promote self-care and wellness!