Toolbox Tune-up
When’s the last time you added to your wellness toolbox? Most regular toolboxes have a hammer, screwdrivers, and a wrench. Likewise, you probably have a few wellness tools that never change and are used often. These are your foundational tools.
But it’s fun, and sometimes necessary, to add new wellness tools to our WRAPs. We’d love to feature some of your favorites, so we can get ideas from one another. If you’d like to share some of yours, send them to info@wellnessrecoveryactionplan.com.
By Carol Bailey Floyd, Certified WRAP Facilitator
Taking a sound bath is one of my easiest and best wellness tools. A sound bath just takes listening really carefully while carrying on with your life. For example, if you are in your kitchen, tune in to the sound of your footsteps or of the water coming out of the faucet, the refrigerator humming, the refrigerator door opening and closing, food being prepared, and so on. I often do this when I might be feeling a little low or hurried. It can be done anywhere, and because it is a silent activity, no one can tell what I am doing.
I’ve also done this at the grocery store where there are a lot of interesting sounds. I feel like I have hit the jackpot if there is a squeaky wheel on someone else’s cart (not mine). There are snippets of conversation to be heard, and perhaps the happy sound of a toddler on an adventure.
When you are listening closely, you can hear groceries coming off the shelf and put in people’s carts. The bonanza of sounds usually comes at checkout: little beeps, the unloading of the cart, a short conversation with the cashier, and the noises coming from other checkout lines in the vicinity. In just a few minutes, you can energize and refresh yourself. And it’s totally free!
Music Baths
Another type of wellness tool is a music bath. Choose any music you enjoy.
For this activity, I usually put on classical music, but any kind of music would be effective. I start the music at a low level. Then I either lie on a sofa or bed, or I position myself on the floor. I relax my muscles and close my eyes. I listen very closely to the music, so it feels like it is bathing me with sound. After about 15 minutes, I feel restored and ready to join my life again! This is a delightful wellness tool, and it is also free!
Sound and music baths have been so fun and effective for me over the years. They are mindfulness techniques that help me feel centered and bring me to the present moment while having fun!
Related Resources
Carol Bailey Floyd is a Retired Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator and Former Director of Programs, Mental Health Recovery and WRAP
