Mindfully Washing the Dishes

Summary

The website content presents a self-care challenge through a poem about mindfully washing dishes, inspired by the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise for anxiety.

Abstract

The article titled "Mindfully Washing the Dishes" introduces a unique approach to self-care by combining poetry with a mindfulness exercise known as the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding technique. This method encourages individuals to engage with their senses while performing mundane tasks like washing dishes, to help manage anxiety and depression. The poem vividly describes the sensory experiences involved in the task, from the warmth of the water to the sounds and smells that accompany it. The author, known as Lucy (The Egg Girl), shares her personal struggle with traditional mindfulness meditation and how focusing on everyday activities has been a more effective form of self-care for her. She challenges readers to apply the 5–4–3–2–1 structure to their own daily routines, turning an ordinary chore into a creative and centering exercise. The article also promotes mental health awareness by inviting readers to explore the author's experiences and writings on the topic, as well as the work of Anangsha Alammyan.

Opinions

The author finds traditional sitting mindfulness meditation challenging and prefers engaging in sensory-focused activities like dishwashing as a mindfulness practice.
Engaging in the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise during everyday activities is presented as a beneficial self-care strategy.
The poem serves as a creative expression of the author's personal experience with anxiety and depression management.
The author encourages readers to submit their own sensory-focused poems to "The Brain Is A Noodle" or share them on social media with the hashtag #MediumPoetry.
Lucy (The Egg Girl) advocates for the importance of mental health care, especially for BIPOC individuals, by sharing her reviews of mental health services.

A poem AND self-care challenge

plates, stacked haphazardly mugs, housing chopsticks (sticking every which way) all three of my pans the rice cooker pot too

the warmth of the water the lil bubbles popping the textured sponge the smoothness of the glass

the clink of plates upon plates the sink gurgling up all the filth the tap water, trickling down

a light lemony scent the faint rice smell of the kitchen

the flavours of a rice bowl

Poetry Prompt

This poem was inspired by my favourite anxiety coping skill — the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise. In this exercise, you name the following things in order:

5 things you can see

4 things you can feel

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

By bringing your attention to your senses, you bring yourself back to the present moment, following the principles of mindfulness. I absolutely suck at any mindfulness meditation that requires me to sit still and focus inward.

Instead, bringing my attention to the tangible aspects of the environment even for something as simple as washing dishes or making stovetop popcorn really helps me center myself away from worrying about the future (anxiety) or regretting the past (depression).

Your challenge: Pick an every day activity that you do and bring your attention to all five senses using the 5–4–3–2–1 structure. Let it be a centering piece of self-care in addition to being a piece of creativity.

Lucy (The Egg Girl) was so glad she took a break today to write this poem and center herself and hopes that you get that chance to insert that breather into your day too. She writes weird poems, PSA poems, and in-depth reviews of her experiences seeking mental health help as a BIPOC. She encourages you to check out Anangsha Alammyan’s article: “He Asked Me For Money to Marry Him”.

Feel free to submit your 5–4–3–2–1 poem to The Brain Is A Noodle, or to tweet it under the #MediumPoetry tag!