Life in Five Senses

How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and into the World

By: Gretchen Rubin

Narrated by: Gretchen Rubin

Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project discovers a surprising path to a life of more energy, creativity, luck, and love: by tuning in to the five senses.

“An inspiring and practical guide to living in the moment.”—Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet

For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature. Then, one day, a visit to her eye doctor made her realize that she’d been overlooking a key element of happiness: her five senses. She’d spent so much time stuck in her head that she’d allowed the vital sensations of life to slip away, unnoticed. This epiphany lifted her from a state of foggy preoccupation into a world rediscovered by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.

In this journey of self-experimentation, Rubin explores the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life. Drawing on cutting-edge science, philosophy, literature, and her own efforts to practice what she learns, she investigates the profound power of tuning in to the physical world.

From the simple pleasures of appreciating the magic of ketchup and adding favorite songs to a playlist, to more adventurous efforts like creating a daily ritual of visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and attending Flavor University, Rubin show us how to experience each day with depth, delight, and connection. In the rush of daily life, she finds, our five senses offer us an immediate, sustainable way to cheer up, calm down, and engage the world around us—as well as a way to glimpse the soul and touch the transcendent.

Life in Five Senses is an absorbing, layered story of discovery filled with profound insights and practical suggestions about how to heighten our senses and use our powers of perception to live fuller, richer lives—and, ultimately, how to move through the world with more vitality and love.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of additional resources from the book

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Gretchen Rubin (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Right now, what the world needs most is people who have come to their senses—who have reunited with the power and wisdom of their bodies. Gretchen Rubin’s Life in Five Senses—woven with research, practice, and a compelling story—invites us into the seismic shift toward a life grounded in sensation, vitality, and innate intelligence.” —Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed and founder of Together Rising

“Life in Five Senses is a great opportunity to spend time in Gretchen Rubin’s inimitable company. But it’s also an inspiring and practical guide to living in the moment. Many books have tried to teach us the power of the present. But Rubin creates her own tools and forges her own path—one that readers will surely want to follow.” —Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet

“Gretchen Rubin always helps us notice the seemingly small but vitally important aspects of life that make us happier. In this fascinating exploration of our five senses, she shows us how paying closer attention to our daily experience of the exterior world can shift our interior worlds in remarkable ways. . . . A delightful treat, in every sense (pun intended)!” —Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Engaging and educational

I loved listening to this book so much that I ultimately bought a physical copy, too. I am now digging into some of the resources and planning a sensory summer for my family - what fun!

Loved it!

This book made me think about how I see the world and made me want to be more present and aware. I loved it!

She does it again!

Gretchen Rubin has become one of my all time favorite authors with her story telling abilities & attention to detail. Though she may appeal to a crowd looking for helpful tips around the home, I view her as a modern philosopher with great ideas about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Life in five senses is thought provoking and provides appropriate answers to the questions she raises & the questions you have as you read. I pre ordered a physical copy but couldn’t wait to read, so I downloaded and listened here!

Beautiful

Has really changed the way that I am engaging in my environment. I was skeptical going into the audiobook but 15 minutes in I could not stop listening.

A wonderfully immersive audio book

Gretchen Rubin takes us along on her immersive journey through the 5 senses. So enlightening!

Engaging and Relaxing

I have read several Gretchen Rubin's books and I was surprised to realize that this was one of my favorites. I've become more tuned into the richness of my world, and curating a better and richer environment as a sm result.
Ms Rubin has a beautiful gift for turning her thoughts and experiences into a gift for the listener.
She is her own narrator and this helps highlight her points.
I may listen again in the future because her perspective truly fills me with delight and peace.

Come to your senses, oh yes!

Obviously, as The Sensorial Guy, this book was a pleasant surprise to me, a must read for every human really. Especially if you want to get out of your head and experience in real life more pleasure, more meaning, more depth and breadth- to get out of the black and white convenience and habit sensing trap, and open up your senses to expand your experience of this one beautiful life.

Enlightening and Fun

Wonderfully-written and executed. Ruben is the perfect combination of relatable and inspiring! Highly recommend!

Beautifully spoken and beautifully written. This is a book for everyone!

Gretchen Rubin has a natural talent for finding the right words to describe ways in which we can experience the world. Her smart, educated and creative brain has found a method to place wonderful theories, her own experience, and wisdom from the ages to apply it in an interesting and innovative way. For anyone who likes literature, art or is interested in how they experience the world, this is a fantastic read.

Some creative ideas

There were periods of really great writing interspersed with personal stories that were too long. Some stories were great and made the topic more relatable, and others caused me to lose interest in the overall theme of the book. I loved the idea of visiting the Met every day, and it made me miss New York City! Overall it was a great reminder of the joys of being alive.