5-4-3-2-1: a tool to run mindfully

Neist Point Lighthouse, Isle of Skye, September 2019

This week, let’s take a mindfulness minute. I want to share a technique that may help with any nervousness or anxiousness that might be experienced before a workout or at whatever start line you happen to find yourself (in running or in life).

The 5-4-3-2-1 tool was taught to me by Dr. Ali Novitsky, of Mind, Body, Marriage, as a way to bring us out of our heads and back to the moment. This tool can be especially helpful for feelings of overwhelm or anxiousness.

I have found this tool very useful if negative thoughts pop up before or during exercise. It helps to shift the mind’s focus, and in doing so, brings us back to the present.

On your run this weekend, simply take notice of:

5 things you see right now

4 things you can touch

3 things you hear

2 things you smell

1 thing you taste

Simple, right? Take deep breaths between each of these steps and notice how those feelings of overwhelm, anxiousness, or nervousness have dissipated. I enjoy this technique when running outdoors. It can be coupled well with Ditching the Headphones!

This tool is not only helpful at the start line, but in all aspects of our lives, and we can easily teach it to others.

A tiny bit of homework this week: I would encourage you to write the 5-4-3-2-1 technique on an index card or enter it into your phone, so that you have it with you on the go.

Give it a try before or during your next workout and share it with a friend. Let me know how it works for you on our Mindful Marathon Facebook page!