Using Your 5 Senses to Build a Coping Skills Toolkit
There are days when your nervous system feels like it’s holding its breath. When your chest is tight, your brain is loud, and you swear even the air feels heavier than usual. On those days, we go searching—for control, for calm, for the version of ourselves who feels steady.
And sometimes, the most helpful place to search is right where you are.
Right in your body.
Right in your senses.
The five senses are like tiny anchors you carry with you everywhere, waiting to be picked up when the world feels too sharp, too fast, or too overwhelming. Think of this toolkit as a way of telling your brain, “Hey, we’re safe, you can come back now.”
Below is a gentle guide to building your own 5 Senses Coping Skills Toolkit, filled with things that comfort, ground, and remind you of yourself when you’ve slipped away for a moment.
✨ Sight: What brings your eyes home?
Think about the things your eyes rest on when you need to breathe again.
The colors, the textures, the familiar corners of your life that feel like a soft landing.
Some ideas to tuck into your toolkit:
A photo that makes your brain relax on sight—maybe a sunset, or your dog doing something incredibly stupid but also incredibly cute.
A calming video saved on your phone (rain falling, waves rolling, someone restocking a fridge—you know the ones).
A written reminder in your own handwriting that says, “You’ve survived every bad day so far.”
A tiny object you love to look at—a crystal, a keychain, a silly trinket that reminds you of who you get to be on your gentler days.
Sometimes just seeing something familiar can pull you back to earth.
✨ Sound: What helps your nervous system exhale?
There are sounds that live inside us forever.
The laugh of someone we love.
The low hum of a box fan.
A playlist that reminds you that you’ve lived through hard things before.
Add these to your sound collection:
A “calm down” playlist—slow songs, lo-fi beats, movie soundtracks, whatever makes your shoulders inch away from your ears.
A voice memo from yourself on a good day reminding you this storm will pass.
White noise, rain sounds, or ocean waves.
A grounding phrase you can whisper to yourself: “I am here. I am okay. I can take the next step.”
Sound is sneaky; it slips right into your nervous system and changes the whole room inside your mind.
✨ Smell: What reminds you of safety?
Scent is memory’s favorite language.
One whiff and suddenly you’re back somewhere softer—your grandmother’s house, your childhood bedroom, a bakery you loved, a vacation you didn’t want to end.
Your toolkit might include:
A rollerball of essential oil you actually like (lavender isn’t mandatory, I promise).
A tiny candle you don’t even have to light—just smelling the lid is enough.
Lotion that smells like comfort.
A sachet, dryer sheet, or perfume sample.
These tiny things help your body recall safety even when your brain struggles to.
✨ Taste: What helps bring you back into your body?
Taste can be grounding in a very physical, immediate way.
It nudges your attention into the present moment and says, “Hey—come back to this second, right here.”
Try:
A mint or piece of gum in your bag.
A tiny piece of chocolate for slow, intentional tasting.
A spicy candy if you like big sensory resets.
Tea bags you can keep at your desk.
Taste reminds your mouth, mind, and muscles that you’re still here.
✨ Touch: What helps your body settle?
Touch is often the fastest path back to safety.
It’s your nervous system’s native language—the warm, heavy blanket, the soft sweatshirt, the texture your fingers instinctively reach for.
Add:
A small fidget, stone, or textured object.
A soft cloth, cozy socks, or a warm compress.
Putty or clay to knead when your hands need somewhere to put all that energy.
A grounding practice like placing your hand over your chest and saying, “I’m here. I’ve got you.”
Touch reminds your body of itself—of its strength, its gentleness, its aliveness.
✨ Putting It All Together: Your Personal Sensory Toolkit
The most important part: this toolkit is yours.
Not something you “should” have. Not a Pinterest-perfect box of curated items.
Just a collection of things that help you regulate, soothe, breathe, or reconnect with the version of you that feels steady.
Place everything in:
A small pouch for your bag
A drawer at your desk
A box on your nightstand
Or create different versions for different places
And remember: the goal isn’t to never feel overwhelmed. The goal is to know what to reach for when you do.
Your senses belong to you.
Your body belongs to you.
Your calm is something you can build—slowly, gently, one small anchor at a time.
On the days when you forget, this toolkit will help you remember.
