Touch Bar Control Strip - How do I quickly switch from app controls back to the default set?

I'm on a MacBook Pro, 15-inch 2017 running Monterey. Here are my current keyboard settings:

I'm pretty sure this is a stupid question, but I feel like all of a sudden, I can't find my way back to the default set on my Touch Bar (I realized I couldn't find it when I went to lessen the brightness). Is there not a quick way to either tap to access the default set rather than viewing the app controls, or at least a way to click away from an app so that the default set shows up again? I feel like I'm in an endless loop of app controls (when I minimize or click away from Safari, for example, Finder is there waiting for me, ha). For each set of app controls, I have an escape key (which may not work?) on the far left, but there's no "X" icon or anything that seems to let me collapse what I see and perhaps return to the default set.

Anyone have advice for a Touch Bar novice?

Thanks in advance!