The 54321 grounding technique is easy to remember, quick to use, and even suitable for kids. Mental health professionals often recommend the 54321 grounding technique as a way to shift attention from overwhelming thoughts, reduce spiraling, and help the mind and body return to the present moment.
Feel free to screenshot or copy the image for your everyday use or to share with friends and loved ones. The infographics make it easy to quickly recall the steps.
And a smaller and shorter one:
What is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique?
This grounding technique is also known as a coping skill, grounding method, or grounding exercise. Its purpose is to engage your five senses and help you observe your surroundings through them. It helps anchor you in the present moment and distract you from spiraling thoughts. Instead of focusing on past regrets or future fears, this method brings your attention to what’s happening now. Your body and five senses work together to help you reconnect with the present.
How to use the 5 4 3 2 1 Grounding Technique?
Note. Please do not rush through the exercise.
Hint. It helps to name the things out loud if you can.
Important. It’s a good idea to memorize the steps on a calm day. When someone feels anxious, it’s often hard to remember grounding steps—especially if they haven’t practiced them in advance.
Follow these steps one by one to complete the technique
0. Focus on your breathing, take a deep breath first
- Find 5 things you can see
- Find 4 things you can touch
- Find 3 things you can hear
- Find 2 things you can smell
- Find 1 thing you can taste
Explanation of the 54321 grounding exercise
Helpful tip: You can also use words like “acknowledge” or “focus” instead of “find” if that feels more natural to you. For example, ACKNOWLEDGE 2 things you can smell, or FOCUS on 5 things you can see. Whichever way is easier for you. In my own experience, I like to use the word “find” because it makes me look for those things. While it is easy to see 5 things with your eyes, it is not easy to focus on smells in a bedroom. So, instead of giving up, try and think about what you could find.
5 things you can SEE.
You can start with something easy to catch with your eye, like a wall, a table, a chair, a bed, a door. It is normal to be frustrated with finding something to name when you are in panic, anxious and spiraling. But the more you do this exercise, the more you can turn it into fun. Find something of the same color, or small and so on.
4 things you can TOUCH or FEEL.
Something that you can reach with your hand or something that is touching your body. For example, a pen, a ring, a necklace, a pillow. Or, warmth of your cat near you, cold air from a/c, cozy blanket, ice. Think not only about the item itself, but also about its temperature or texture. For example, cold or hot, light or heavy, soft or hard. Same as with the first step, you can start it easy and continue with more fun ways of finding the 4 things you can touch.
3 things you can HEAR.
Finding 3 things that you can hear can be easy during the day – traffic, neighbors, tv. At night it can be more complicated, so try and focus on sounds that can be unnoticed during the day. Like crickets or frogs outside, wind or rain, dog breathing, ticking clock.
2 things you can SMELL.
Finding smells can be easy if you feel anxious outside or in the kitchen. If you are in your bedroom, it can be the smell of clean bedsheets or pajamas, scented candles or even your breath. If you can not find any smells surrounding you, it is recommended to think and name your favorite smells.
1 thing you can TASTE.
Wherever you are, try and find something to taste. Food, toothpaste, or even water by your bedside will work. Even the aftertaste of something you ate earlier can count as a taste to focus on.
If you are a beginner and the 54321 grounding technique is difficult for you, save this free worksheet example to your computer and print it out. Practice the technique by writing down into the squares the things that you are able to see, touch, hear, smell and taste.
54321 Grounding exercise worksheet example
54321 Grounding Technique PDF printable version
Frequently Asked Questions
When 54321 Coping Technique can be used?
It is useful when spiraling, feeling anxious or having anxious thoughts, stressed, panicking, feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, losing focus, experiencing flashbacks, after a trauma, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Physical symptoms can be racing heart, palms sweating, cheeks flushing, when it seems like the world is spinning.
Advantage of this coping skill is that it is easy, can be used anywhere, fast, can be used for any age including children and you can help others by asking them to NAME out loud the 5 things to see, 4 things to touch, 3 things to hear, 2 things to smell and 1 thing to taste.
How long should the 54321 grounding method last?
There is no limit on how slow or how fast you should find the required things. It can take not more than 5 minutes for some people. But for some people it can take more than 30 minutes. And it is normal. Remember to save the pictures above on your phone, this way you can remember the sequence faster.
Can I use this technique while waiting for my therapy appointment?
Yes, absolutely. Sometimes it seems like days do not pass until your next meeting with the counselor. Anxiety symptoms increase and you fear they can get worse. 54321 grounding exercise can be used every day while waiting for your therapy aid.
Attention! If you think that you or someone you know is at risk, contact 911 or your local emergency services, doctor or therapist immediately.