In a lot of my posts, I talk about how we can soothe and ground ourselves through our senses. The reason that I love working with the senses so much is that they are always with us, which makes them a very accessible tool for managing anxiety. And if we want to maximize the benefit of using our senses to soothe anxiety, what better way than to create an anxiety self-care kit?
As we discovered in this post, the amygdala is the threat detector in our brain that sets off our anxiety. And fun fact: all of our senses connect to our amygdala. For example, if our amygdala detects something threatening through one of our five senses (sight, smell, taste, touch or sound), it activates our anxiety. Luckily, the opposite is also true: if our amygdala picks up on soothing vibes through our senses, it can turn down the anxiety and help us to feel calm.
Another way that our senses help to calm anxiety is through mindfulness. Anxiety happens when we time travel to the past or future, by ruminating about something that already happened or worrying about something that is yet to happen. By focusing completely on the sensory data that our senses are taking in, we can ground ourselves in the present moment.
Personalizing Your Anxiety Self-Care Kit
What speaks to our senses is going to look very different from person to person. Some people love the smell of flowers, while others (a.k.a., me), don’t. Some people are coffee drinkers while others prefer tea (also me). That means that everyone’s anxiety self-care kit is going to look different! Exploring what is most soothing for your unique senses can be fun and is a great way to get to know yourself better.
To help get you started with creating your personalized kit, I’ve created lists of potential items and resources that you might include for each of your five senses. I’ve included ideas for an at-home kit as well as more travel-friendly suggestions for a to-go kit. These are non-exhaustive lists of course, meant simply to inspire you as you find what works best for you!
Anxiety Self-Care Kit: At Home Edition
Once you figure out what appeals most to your unique senses, you can figure out how to increase your access to these sights, smells, tastes, sounds and sensations of touch. This can look like putting together an actual basket of items that you keep close at hand, or else just strategically placing items throughout your home so that they are accessible when you need them.
Sight
- string lights
- flickering candles
- pictures of loved ones
- favourite TV shows/movies
- artwork
- a good book
- eye mask
- plants
Sound
- a soothing playlist
- nature sounds
- earplugs
- headphones
- binaural beats
- bilateral music
- guided meditation
- a water feature
- white noise
Smell
- candles
- diffuser and essential oils
- scented wax melts
- incense sticks
- flowers
- favourite perfume
Taste
- herbal tea
- favourite candy or chocolate bar
- favourite meal
- sour candy
- fizzy candies or pop rocks
- mints or mint gum
- ginger candies
- citrus slices
Touch
- weighted blanket
- regular, cozy blanket
- fuzzy socks
- stress ball
- fidget toy
- favourite sweater
- facial mask
- hot bath or shower
- ice packs
Anxiety Self-Care Kit: On-the-Go Edition
It’s also important to consider how you can access your anxiety self-care kit on the go. This might look like putting together separate kits that you keep with you when you are in other places where you might experience anxiety. Perhaps you keep one in your car, or at the office, or just have some items tucked away in your purse.
Sight
- affirmation(s) written on an index card
- pictures (of a loved one or soothing scenery)
- look out a window
- a notebook and pen
Sound
- earphones
- music app on phone
- a recorded message to yourself
- noise cancelling headphones
Smell
- bottle of essential oil
- essential oil bracelet
- scented lotion
- travel-size perfume
Taste
- gum
- mint
- candy
- tea bag
Touch
- fidget toy
- piece of textured fabric
- a small rock or piece of seaglass
- reflexology ring
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to prevent your anxiety from building, or are trying to soothe yourself during an anxious episode, a personalized anxiety self-care kit is the way to go. Don’t forget to let me know below what you’ll be including in your kit!
PS – looking for some more ways to soothe your anxiety using your senses? Check out these posts:
