Whether you go for a hike in the woods or a stroll around your neighborhood, you can count your walk as a mental wellness booster if you tune into your surroundings and really pay attention. What do you smell? What do you hear? Can you feel a breeze or the sun? If your mind wanders to your to-do list or family concerns or the latest episode of your favorite TV show, try focusing again on just one sense.

Are you constantly getting jerked around by the critic in your own head? Be mindful of that script. Just notice. Over time, you begin to notice that other thoughts, much less negative or critical, are within your ability to choose. Maybe something like:

• Right now, I let go of worry.

• My thoughts are not me.

• There is a way I can be helpful today.

Too often we get so caught up in the sameness of our daily routine, we're not even aware of what we're doing. Did I turn off the stove? Where did I put my glasses? Did I remember to call my friend back? Bring the moment into focus by looking for something new in your familiar surroundings. Maybe the sun coming through the window casts a shadow you didn't notice before. Or you see a fresh detail in a painting hanging on your wall. Or you make a novel discovery about your partner or your pet. This exercise counteracts the tendency to operate on auto-pilot and lets you fully engage with the present.

Breathe in for a count of four. Hold it for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of four. Hold it for a count of four. With the steady cadence of your breath, you possess the power to steady your mind.

A mid-afternoon snack refuels your body, but it can also recharge your brain if you eat it mindfully. Instead of wolfing it down while you keep working, take a few moments to eat it with attention. Notice how it feels to unwrap it or peel it. Inhale the scent before you take a bite. Think about the flavor. Resist the urge to check your phone or talk to someone or do anything that would cause you to lose focus for the few minutes it takes you to finish your snack. When you're done, you should feel mentally refreshed, not just physically sated.

Sit outside in a comfortable spot or near a window and notice the light. Does it have a color? Does it flicker? Does it cast a shadow? By being fully present in the present moment, you just practiced a moment of mindfulness. This type of focused attention gives your brain a break from the noise of modern life.

Focusing on one sensation anchors you in the present. Try wiggling your toes, pressing up on the balls of your feet, then grounding down into the floor with your heels. Spend a moment feeling your feet. You can do this sitting in your car at a stoplight, waiting in line at the store, or when you need a mental pause between projects at work.

Scan your body and identify a spot where you experience some pain or tightness or tension. Perhaps it's a bit of arthritis or a tight hamstring muscle, tense shoulders, or even a constricting piece of clothing. Instead of trying to remedy the discomfort, meet it with curiosity. Notice the sensation and take three slow, deep breaths. What changes? What do you feel?

From wherever you are, select a color. Now look around your environment and find all the things that are of that color. Now pick a different color and seek all the things that color. Do you notice new details? New objects you never noticed before?

The 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness exercise engages your senses to ground you in the present moment. 

• See: Spot five things around you.

• Touch: Notice four things you can feel.

• Hear: Listen for three sounds.

• Smell: Detect two scents.

• Taste: Identify one taste.

Pause and slowly tune into each sense, taking time to observe details. Make it part of your daily routine, or use it as needed to pull you into the here and now.

Do you have a bell or something that will make a light noise? Find a quiet spot and ring it only once; focus on the sound of the chime and listen until you can't hear it anymore.