Five minutes that will change your life

How does your typical day look like?

If you are like most people, you get up when your alarm goes off (or you may hit the snooze button a few times before you finally get up).

Then you start your busy routine: you have a quick breakfast, you get everything you need, and rush out to work.

You spend around eight hours working, then you get home, you fix yourself dinner, and enjoy some well deserved rest, either watching a TV show or reading a book.

(This of course if you do not have kids. If you do, you know all too well that this would look like a vacation day! 😅 )

The point is that it’s so easy to get sucked into the tornado of all the things we need to do every day.

At the end of the day, after we’ve checked all or most items off the list, we may feel like we indeed got out from a tornado, with our head spinning and exhausted.

We may feel proud of ourselves, as we made it to the evening.

But the problem is that these tasks may distract us from heading towards our real destination.

We are busy, but are those things we do taking us closer to our dream life?

In my case, the answer when I asked myself this question some time ago was no.

I realized that I was so distracted by the million little things I have to do each day (wake up my boys, prepare breakfast, make sure they get to school on time AND dressed, go to work, pay the rent and bills, spend some quality time with my family, check in with my friends, get my boys to bed…), that I was never really checking where I was going.

I was certainly running, but where to?

In ten years you will arrive somewhere. But the question is: where?

Jim Rohn

What can we do to not lose sight of our purpose?

I decided I had to do something about it, and here’s what I came up with:

Spending at least five minutes every morning, before starting my hectic day, to connect with my higher self.

What does this mean?

In my case, I just wake up a little bit earlier than I was used to, to listen in all quietness to an inspirational speech (there’s so much choice on YouTube!), read a few pages of a self growth book or just let my mind wander freely.

For you, these five minutes may look completely different. You may be inspired by lifting weights, or by taking a stroll, or by keeping a journal.

I don’t think it matters how we get fired up. What matters is that we reignite our spark, every single day.

These few minutes are enough for me to remind myself that there’s so much more I can do beyond my routine tasks.

They help me tackle every day with a renewed energy.

By getting out from the “autopilot” mode (the classic “just get things done” mantra), I can tap into my deepest thoughts. I can reconnect with my soul. I can remind myself to do, by the end of that day, at least one thing that will resonate with me (it can be this very post, or an insightful conversation, or anything that makes me connect with others).

And you know what?

Thanks to these few minutes, you will face even the most dreadful day with a different attitude.

When you know where you are heading, when you feel in control, even the hardest trails get manageable, if not enjoyable.

Do you feel like you too are overwhelmed by all your commitments? Can you think of an activity you can do every morning to get in touch with yourself and reaffirm your purpose? If so, try to give it a go!