Life in 5 Senses by Gretchen Rubin

Life in 5 Senses by Gretchen Rubin. How exploring the senses got me out of my head and into the world — Key Notes Summary.

The more we notice, the more we can enjoy. — Gretchen Rubin, Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World

Gretchen Rubin is a New York Times bestselling author and the voice behind the award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, which she co-hosts with her sister, Elizabeth Craft. Together, these two sisters explore down-to-earth strategies for building a more joyful, meaningful life.

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Gretchen now lives in New York City with her husband, their two daughters, and their dogs.

In Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World, Rubin invites the readers on a journey of self-discovery, curiosity, and connection; as she explores the hidden power of the five senses — seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching — revealing how tuning into them can bring us back to ourselves and the world around us.

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Gretchen Rubin’s five-senses experiment began after a scheduled visit to the eye doctor, where it dawned on her in a surprisingly deep way that she’d been taking her senses for granted. 

That moment sparked in her a journey of deep exploration into seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching —not just in terms of how they function, but as pathways to greater mindfulness and joy.

What followed was a personal experiment that transformed the way she experienced daily life. 

Gretchen has since then crafted a practical and inspiring guide that helps others reconnect with their senses to live with more presence, health, and happiness — even during difficulties.

Without further ado, here’s Gretchen’s Life in Five Senses — how exploring her senses helped her step out of her head and into the world, filled with more energy, creativity, and love.

Life in Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin. — Key takeaways

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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

The Things she “really” saw were:

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.

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1. A wall of library shelves crowded with books.
2. Jamie (her husband) sleeping under a pile of covers in the soft 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 roar of the #6 subway train as it pulls into the station.
4. The clicking sound of fingers tapping on a keyboard.

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Smelling

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

1. Sharpie pens
2. Nighttime perfume
3. Black coffee

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1. The Met’s hand sanitizer
2. 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

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

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

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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 featherlight weight of contact lenses

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1. Light wool fingertip-less gloves

Related post: Mindfulness by Ellen J. Langer, PHD

Gretchen Rubin Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World

Try This at Home: A Five-Senses Jump-Start

Consider creating a five-senses portrait of your own; Identifying the sights, touch, smells, tastes, and sounds of all things you experience. 

Your Life in Five Senses: Get Out of Your Head and Into the World

Seeing

• Look for what’s usually overlooked.
  You want to pay attention to the unnoticed details around you — like the design of a street sign, product packaging in a drugstore aisle, or even the logos you pass every day. (Gretchen Rubin shared that she’d seen FedEx trucks for years but had never noticed the hidden arrow in the logo, and now she can’t unsee it.)
• Pick a place to visit regularly.
  Choose a nearby spot you can return to again and again — like a library, bookstore, museum, garden, or a café. Give yourself the gift of seeing the same place through different moods and seasons. It’s a simple way to sharpen your sense of observation. (Gretchen Rubin’s go-to spot is The Met in NYC.) 
• Add a splash of color to your day.
  Wear a bold shirt, paint your nails if that’s your vibe, or add a colorful pillow to your space. Remember a simple burst of color can lift your mood and make your world feel a little more alive.
• Switch your phone to grayscale.
  Try setting your screen to black and white for a day (or even a week). You might find yourself scrolling less and becoming more tuned in to the real world around you, without the constant dopamine pull from these colorful apps.
• Clear out at least one visual eyesore.
  Scan your space for a cluttered corner, a messy drawer, or that one pile items that’s been bugging you. Just pick one spot and give it a refresh. You’ll instantly feel lighter and more relaxed.
• Practice seeing differently.
  Take an everyday object and view it in as many ways as possible. Squint at it, look at it in a mirror, cover part of it with your hand, or observe it from both far away and up close. It’s a simple way to train your eyes (and mind) to slow down and truly see.

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Hearing

• Make a playlist of songs you love for different moods you want to create. Are you more into individual songs or full music experiences? Maybe you want upbeat tracks to boost your energy, or some calming tunes to help you reflect. Whatever it is, music can be a great way to treat yourself.
• Download a birdsong-identification app and try to spot the birds around you.
• Practice mindful listening by writing your own “listening manifesto.” its kinda like noting your listening habits, challenges, and how you can deepen your attention to others and the world around you.
• Use music as your personal soundtrack throughout the day and pay attention to how it shifts your mood and energy.
• Reduce background noise just like you’d declutter a room. Protect your ears by turning off phone notifications, use noise-canceling headphones, switch off the TV when you’re not watching, and avoid noisy spots whenever you can.

Smelling

Explore Your Sense of Smell with These Fun Experiments:

• Plug your nose, put a jellybean in your mouth, then unplug your nose and notice how the flavor changes.
• Try a board game like Follow Your Nose or team up with friends to identify mystery scents.
• Pay attention to how even strong smells tend to fade from your awareness after a few minutes.
• Notice how each nostril might register slightly different scents.

Boost Your Sense of Smell:

• Increase blood flow to your nose by running up and down stairs or doing some jumping jacks.
• Seek out interesting scent experiences — try smelling salts, unfamiliar fruits, or scratch-and-sniff a body part.

Enhance Your Environment:

• Add beautiful fragrances with scented candles, sachets, fresh flowers, perfume, or incense sticks.
• Remove unpleasant odors from your space — check your fridge, trash bins, or any other smelly spots.

Stay Mindful of Smells:

• When you visit a new place, take a moment to notice all the scents around you. (This simple practice helps you stay grounded and present.)

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Tasting

• Explore your sense of taste with some home experiments: Grab an orange and take a bite of one of the juicy slices — notice how it tastes sour. Now try a small bit of the peel or rind, see how tasted bitter? That’s the difference between sour and bitter in one fruit.
• Try a miracle fruit and see how it makes sour foods taste surprisingly sweet.
• Cook with spices you’ve never used before to “awaken” your palate.

Pull out a bottle of ketchup and pay close attention as you put a few drops on your tongue. Notice not only the taste, but also the color, the scent, and texture. 

Try a Little Deprivation:
Give up a familiar taste for just a day, a week, or even longer. 

This temporary break can rekindle your appreciation for that particular food, or reveal that you’re happier without it.

Educate Your Palate:
Take a tasting class, in person or online. Learn about a flavor that intrigues you — be it wine, cheese, chocolate, beer, or coffee.

Host a Taste Party:
Invite friends to compare different brands or varieties of common foods: teas, vinegars, pickles, fruits, olives, or energy bars. You can also turn it into a fun challenge by guessing “mystery tastes” or identifying hidden ingredients in familiar foods.

Share Taste Memories:
Our sense of taste is deeply tied to memory. So you want to talk to others about the foods they grew up with. This is a great way to connect over culture, nostalgia, and identity.

Embrace a Bit of Boredom:
Seek an experience that feels a little boring. Because when the usual distractions fade, your imagination wakes up, often leading you to deeper sensory awareness.

Tap Into Your Sense of Touch

• Explore books that engage your hands, like touch and feel books, pop-ups, or lift-the-flap books. They’re not just for kids!
• Visit a store where you’re encouraged to touch the items. 
• Feel the plush softness of towels, the cool smoothness of glassware, or the solid weight of tools.

As you go about your day, make a point to feel different textures like wood, fabric, metal, paper, and notice how it shifts your awareness.

• Offer a kind touch, within respectful boundaries. Give someone a hug, a fist bump, a squeeze of the hand. All these simple gestures helps us foster connection.
• Spend time with animals. Pay attention to the feel of their fur, their movement, and warmth.
• Hold something soothing — like a warm mug, a smooth stone, or a pen you love to write with. You might also try calming sensory tools like an ONO Roller, therapy putty, a or weighted blanket. 
• If you’re at a museum, grab a few postcards of artwork on display, then notice how seeing and touching the printed version changes how you experience the real piece. 

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Want More Joy? Gretchen Rubin’s Life in Five Senses Shows You Where to Look

Gretchen Rubin encourages us to keep a Five-Senses Journal. Each day, you want to jot down one standout moment for each sense. 

You can delight others by playing a playful prank or giving a gift that tickles the senses. 

And if you’re under twenty-five, try as many new experiences as you can, since studies suggest we’re more likely to adopt to new tastes and sounds when we’re younger.

For More Love
 To feel closer to someone you care about, create a Five-Senses Portrait — write down how they look, sound, smell, feel, and even taste (like their favorite food or perfume). 

This exercise will sharpens your attention to detail and deepens your connection. 

It’s also a beautiful way to remember someone who has passed or to preserve the essence of a time, place, or season.

For More Energy and Calm
 Adjust your sensory environment to match your needs. 

Some moments call for turning up the volume like bright lights, loud music, movement — while others ask for softness: dim lighting, soothing sounds, gentle textures. Learn what helps you reset.

For More Imagination
 Schedule time for unstructured play. Its what Gretchen calls recess. 

Visit places that spark your creativity: a hardware store, an art supply shop, a gardening center, or even the kitchen aisle of a department store. Let your senses explore freely.

For More Memories
 “One day, now will be a long time ago.” 

To capture the beauty of everyday life, create an Album of Now — a photo collection that documents your current season, no matter how ordinary it may seem. These little moments will become treasures down the road.

For More Self-Knowledge
Go somewhere that fills you with awe — whether it’s a mountaintop, a cathedral, or a quiet stretch of beach. Open your senses. Pay attention to what awakens within you. Awe has way of revealing who we are and what whispers to our spirits.

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Until next time, onward and upward. 🙂 ❤

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.
• Finger Pressing Computer Keyboard.
• Coffee roasters on unsplash
• Winstead’s triple burger
• Calm water by Yoann Boyer on Unsplash
• Gretchen’s portrait

Buy Life in Five Senses

272 pages, Hardcover. First published April 18, 2023

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