When was the last time that you tasted something that was absolutely delicious?  Note that I said tasted, not ate.  Do you stop to take in the flavors and textures of the food that you eat or do you quickly shove the food in your mouth while you check your emails, organize the kids and clean up the kitchen?

What about receiving a hug?  Do you revel in the feeling of being touched and held or do you give a quick, one armed bump of the shoulders with a brisk pat on the back and race off to the next item on your to do list?  Of course I realize there are exceptions (your mail carrier might be a bit shocked by a lingering hug) but my question is…are you taking time to delight your senses?  

The dessert I’m eating (pictured to the left) inspired this topic because I was reminded of the value of truly taking time to enjoy.  Not just the food but everything around me – the music, my friend’s company, the smell of the wine, and even the weight of the fork in my hand.  I realized that it had been quite some time since I had given my senses anything to be joyful about.  

Paying attention to your senses keeps you in the present moment and being present is the only way that you can access your power and your joy.  When a client tells me they are feeling stuck my first question is, “in what ways are you numbing yourself?”  Whether it’s not physically feeling pain, avoiding an emotion or not opening your eyes to the truth that is in front of you, tuning out your senses is a sure fire way to get stuck in life.  The remedy? Start finding ways to delight your senses.  Surround yourself with beautiful sounds, eat foods with pleasing textures, spices and flavors, make a point of looking at gorgeous and inspiring images, tickle your nose with delicious scents, wear sensuous fabrics next to your skin or combine your senses with an aromatherapy massage….there are so many options but the joy is in making a point to give your senses something to sing about everyday.  You and everyone around you will be better for it!