Fifteen-Minute Fix #6: Collage Your Best Life

Giving Thanks

This fix will help you align your intention for what you would like to strengthen the most in your life.  I am posting it this Thanksgiving week because I am planning to use this process to feel appreciation – and anything that helps me do that in just fifteen minutes is amazing. 

Assemble the following ‘ingredients’:        

1.         A 3x5 piece of cardboard or mat board

2.         Glue, glue stick or mod podge

3.         Three favorite magazines

4.         Scissors or exact-o knife

Set a timer for five minutes (I love my iphone for this) and flip through your magazines looking for smallish images of things that you love about your life now.  They do not have to be the exact things but can be a symbol to represent the thing or the feeling that you would like to focus on.  This card is just for you, so it is less important that it look good and more important that it connect you with feeling good.

You can also use junk mail, newspapers, and old cards – anything that has images that ‘sing’ to you. Don’t get sucked into reading articles, or spend time being too careful – just relax and rip!  If it’s easier, pick more images at this stage and then choose from them in the next step.  Also, pick a page that has a lot of your favorite color to use as the background.  You can also fill in the background with colored markers.

Spend the next five minutes cutting them out.  The images can over or under-lap each other or not even touch at all.  You can do more images if you like the look of it or fewer images to make a stronger statement.

The last five minutes is used to attach the images to the card.  Start with the background color, if you have one.  Then proceed with the rest of the images. If you did not use a background color, fill in the background with colored marking pens.

Appreciation by A. LaBrie

Place your collage card where you can appreciate it – and each time you see it, your appreciation will grow stronger.  Sometimes, I even take a picture of the card and use it as the ‘wallpaper’ on my phone.  This way, every time I pick up my phone, I can feel that good feeling of appreciation all over again! 

Fifteen-Minute Fix #5: Rub Your Feet!

Coming & Going by Anne LaBrie

This is a great way to either start your day or finish your day.  If it’s a really long day, rub your feet both in the morning and at night! Before the fifteen-minute clock starts, make sure you assemble your ingredients – sort of like a recipe. These will enhance the experience because all of your senses will be engaged – sight, sound, smell, taste and, of course, touch! 

Ingredients

         * Favorite lotion

         * Soft music

         * Essential oil – (tangerine, lavender, or

           peppermint are good);

         * Piece of chocolate caramel

Note: This last one counts as both sight and taste!

Okay, now take off your shoes & socks and fill a small basin with warm soapy water. Start your music and add your favorite essential oil.  Put both feet in the water and just let them relax for a minute. 

1.         Starting with your right foot, move it slowly in a clockwise motion in the water 3

            times and then 3 times in a counterclockwise motion.  Repeat with the left foot.

2.         Place the chocolate caramel in your mouth and let it slowly melt.

 

3.         Dry off your foot and put a small dab of lotion in one hand. Rub the bottom of your

            foot from heel to toes in long, sweeping motions - 3  times.

4.         Move your big toe in a circle 5 times, then in the other direction 5 times.  Repeat

            with the next toe and so on until all toes have been gently circulated.

5.         Form your hand in a fist, and rub the arch of your foot with those fisted knuckles

            of the other hand, with as much pressure as feels comfortable, for at least one

            minute.

6.         Rub the top of your foot in long strokes from your ankle to your toes 3 times and

            put your foot back in the warm water.

7.         Now, repeat the above steps with the other foot or change feet after each step. 

            (Pun intended!).

When your feet feel happy and the muscle tension is eased, you will be ready to go about your day or relax more fully in the evening. For the low-calorie option, just use your sense of smell to enjoy the chocolate.  For even more relaxation, have a friend do the foot massage!