Wednesday Wellness Tool: Kick Your Feet Up

I've been thinking lately about the power that small actions can have on well-being. Just as a smile or a kind gesture from another person can shift the course of your day, so too can an act of self-care positively affect your mood. 

There are countless ways to do this, so in an effort to share doable tricks with the masses, I am going to break it down. Every week I will post one tool that requires less than 30 minutes of your time to use. These are actions that you can choose to add to your day...or not. It's that simple. 

And I couldn't think of a better way to kick of Wednesday Wellness than to talk about kicking your feet up...the wall.*

That's right. Laying on your back, either on the floor or on a bed if it's against the wall, scootch your butt within a foot of the wall and swing your feet up. Your heels should rest gently against the wall. If your legs are tight you may need to move further back from the wall. Place your arms at your sides or above your head, whatever feels more comfortable. You may want to place a pillow beneath your head. 

Close your eyes and try to rest like this for 15 to 20 minutes. If you have less time, you have less time. When you are ready, slowly drop your legs to one side and sit back up. Take a moment to notice how your body feels.

I have recommended this intervention to countless clients--usually those experiencing anxiety and/or insomnia (this is great pre-bed-time ritual), and I do it myself as often as possible.

I learned this from Judith Lasater, a woman who has a firm grasp on her craft as an international yoga instructor, physical therapist, East-West psychology doctorate, writer, and big time proponent of nonviolent communication. The above image is of her book Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga For Stressful Times.


*If you have any medical conditions/injuries that would make this a no-no, respect them. Perhaps instead, you can take 15-20 minutes to simply lie silently on your back without interruption.

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