Gretchen Rubin’s Five-Senses Self-Portrait

 Gretchen Rubin’s Five-Senses Self-Portrait of self-experimentation, and exploring the mysteries and joys of the five senses.

“The more we notice, the more we can enjoy.”― Gretchen Rubin, Life in Five Senses.

Gretchen’s Five-Senses Self-Portrait. Gretchen Rubin is an expert on happiness. Host of the award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, alongside sister, Elizabeth Craft, where they dive
into practical “try this at home” solutions for cultivating a happier life. Rubin is the author many New York Times bestsellers: The Happiness Project, Outer Order, Inner Calm; The Four Tendencies; Better Than before; and Life in Five-Senses. Born and Raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Gretchen Rubin now lives in NYC with her husband, a dog, and their two daughters.

In Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World, Rubin takes us on a journey of self-experimentation. exploring the mysteries and joys of the five senses, as a way to live a more mindful, and happier life.

This realization came to be, after a visit to her eye doctor, she realized, she’d been taking her five senses for granted. This then led her on a quest to learn more about the five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching.

The daily five will give you a glimpse, into Gretchen’s daily five-senses rituals.

Please enjoy.

Gretchen Rubin’s Five-Senses Self-Portrait Experiment.

Seeing

“See something once—really see it—and it never looks the same again.”
― Gretchen Rubin, Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World

1. Cloud reflected in the water at Central Park’s lake.
2. An orange traffic cone
3. The toothy cow grinning down from the stained-glass window in the Met museum.

1. A wall of library shelves crowded with books.
2. Jamie (her husband) asleep under a heap of covers in early morning light.

Hearing

“Our hearing anchors us in the world; it tells us what’s happening behind us, above us, in the dark, and before we’re born. Sound pumps me up, calms me down, and transforms my moods in just a few seconds.” ― Gretchen Rubin 

1. Eliza and Eleanor (her daughters) laughing at each other’s jokes.
2. Barnaby’s (the family dog) deep sigh after he curls up on his favorite blanket.
3. The faint clacking of fingers on a keyboard. 
4. Elizabeth (her sister the sage) saying, “Okay, Gretch, it’s time for…” during a Happier recording.
5. The roar of the #6 subway train as it pulls into the station.

Smelling

Of the five senses, smell is the one with the best memory. —Rebecca McClanahan

1. Sharpie pens
2. Nighttime perfume
3. Black coffee 
4. The Met’s hand sanitizer
5. Crushed lavender

Tasting

“Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s important that we give ourselves treats—which may sound self-indulgent or frivolous, but it’s not. When we give more to ourselves, we can ask more from ourselves. Treats help us to stick to challenging goals, resist unhealthy temptations, and shrug off small irritations. When we don’t get any treats, we can begin to feel burned-out, depleted, and resentful.”― Gretchen Rubin, Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World

1. Winstead’s triple burger (plain, no bun)

2. Diet Coke
3. Eggs in many forms
4. Almonds (she eats lots of them)
5. Sugar-free cinnamon mints (she doesn’t eat sugar)

Touching

1. A heavy mug warmed by a hot drink
2. Plush terry cloth robe (Soft, comfortable bathrobes that keep you warmer.)
3. A “Family love sandwich” hug with Jamie, Eliza, and Eleanor
4. The almost imperceptible weight of contact lenses
5. Light wool fingertip-less gloves

Related post: Life in Five Senses: How exploring the senses got me out of my head and into the world by Gretchen Rubin. A Five Senses Jump-Start—Summary. Try This at Home: [Key Notes]

Try This at Home:

Consider creating a five-senses portrait of your holidays. Identify the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch of all the things and experiences you associate with this time. What would you put on your list?

• reflect on memories sparked by a sensation.
• deepen a sense-experience through education.
• create something inspired by a sense-experience.
• indulge in a modest splurge to enjoy a sensation.
• notice the ordinary.
• identify a healthy treat.

List of objects mentioned:

• Panel with the Nativity. Ca. 1440. Pot metal, white glass, vitreous paint, silver stain. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
• The faint clacking of fingers on a keyboard
• Black coffee
• Winstead’s triple burger