Practice quick, simple ways to soothe yourself when you only have a minute or two, with ideas from Dr. Rick Hanson’s book A Happy, Healthy Mom.
One-Minute Soothers
• Take four long, slow breaths, and as you exhale, imagine that a gray cloud of stress, worries, or troubles is leaving your life, and as you inhale, imagine that peace and love and wisdom are filling you up.
• Take your shoes off, rub the bottoms of your feet with your knuckles, and massage the joints and tips of your toes.
• Smell something nice, like an orange or your child’s hair, or put on a dab of perfume.
• Roll your head around to loosen your neck.
• Splash water on your face.
• While standing, bend over to touch the floor, shake your arms loosely, and straighten up slowly as you take in a big breath.
• Look at something pretty.
• Knead your neck and shoulders.
• Nibble something good.
• Rub your eyes and the bones around them gently.
• Hug your child or partner for one whole minute.
• Stretch your mouth open as wide as you can, like a lion roaring, and then let your face relax.
• Remember a good joke.
• Repeat a favorite saying or prayer to yourself.
Five-Minute Soothers
• Make yourself a cup of tea.
• Lie down, close your eyes, and imagine a warm, golden balm settling over you, softening the edges of your feelings, and gently carrying away any distress.
• Listen to your favorite music, from Bach to the B-52’s.
• Ask someone for a sincere compliment.
• Step outside and watch the play of sunlight dancing on leaves or the moon and the stars.
• Do a few minutes of stretching or yoga.
