Five minute pamper

bythemethod | July 26, 2008

One of the best rewards you can give yourself is time. We all seem to have such precious little of it that a simple gift to yourself of five minutes can be a good way to reward yourself. But how do you use just five minutes without just sitting waiting for the next things to happen? Here is one of my suggestions:

I have expanded this a little from my previous post

The five minute pamper

Sit or lie in a quiet place on your own (if possible). Close your eyes and notice any tension in your body. Tell your body to relax and let the tension float out of you. Imagine water gently pouring over that part of your body and as the water runs over it takes the tension away with it.

Now take five deep breaths.

A deep breath fills your lungs at the bottom not at the top. Put your hands on your stomach and as you breath in push your hands out with your lungs.

Take them in through your nose and then hold your breath for 4 seconds.

For the first 4 breaths: let the breath out like a sigh e.g. like when you sigh about something.

For the 5th breath: let it out slowly and very controlled and as you do say in your mind relax and as you breathe out feel the tension floating away with the breath.

Now you are relaxed put on a smile (even if you don’t feel like it) and repeat to yourself quietly in your mind (until 4 minutes are up):

I have done something well. I am a good person. I love myself.

Feel free to use your own affirmations in here.

Try to feel the sentiment as you think it.

For the last minute just relax and before you get started again take one last deep breath and sigh.