Our minds create success. If you don’t believe that, you might be losing the game of life or at the very least feeling like the odds are against you. How we think about ourselves and talk to ourselves affects everything. Some of you might know this as the law of attraction.
The power of self-talk is real. If you have five minutes, a small act can have a huge impact on your life—from the quality of life to your ability to manifest. All you have to do is be with yourself for five minutes a day, consistently. This positive habit adds light and life to your daily routine, a routine that might be lacking in the mindfulness department. And it leads to success—whatever that means for you.
That means the way we think matters. Have a look at studies done on water molecules to see how we can change states with positive or negative vibrations. We are water. Which means we can alter ourselves through self-talk. Five minutes changes the molecular structure of the water in your body, allowing you to vibrate at higher frequencies. As with the ebb and flow of the ocean or the cycles of the moon, we shift based upon thought patterns.
For anyone who follows religious or spiritual practices, dedicating five minutes a day will feel very familiar. It’s coming to the altar, it’s making a sacrifice and entertaining ritual—it’s deciding to put self and spirit first. When we commit time to self-care, we make a huge statement to ourselves and the universe: self matters.
Related: 8 Reasons Self-Care Isn’t Selfish
What we do every day says a lot about who we are. The more you engage in positive acts, the more likely you are to alter your outlook on life and build faith in yourself. Both streamline into personal success. Don’t go into this with the wrong attitude; you will defeat the purpose even before anything has begun. Things will change. Believe it because your mind says it, your body and heart feel it, and your spirit desires it; with patience and faith, you’re sure to achieve the impossible.
What can you do with five minutes to change your being and emotional and/or mental state? That’s easy; several things. Each act is equally as powerful as the next. Here are a few activities that have the potential to augment vibrational forces. Don’t start tomorrow when today is here now. What you’ve got to be sure of, though, is your willingness to dedicate those five minutes a day, on a regular basis, as a habit and as something you love, because you love yourself. It’s time to start treating yourself like you matter.
1. Meditation
If you want to wake up earlier than normal, set aside five minutes during your lunch break or commute, or retreat to bed sooner rather than later. That way, you can seamlessly incorporate meditation into your daily schedule. Some might enjoy a guided meditation or the sound of Tibetan bowls; others might enjoy chanting or binaural beats. Whatever option makes you feel comfortable is the right one for you. Even if you like silence or white noise. There’s no secret formula here.
The only secret is that you must do it consistently. In a matter of weeks, you will notice that you feel more alert in the morning, even before any caffeine. During stressful situations, you will notice you are more levelheaded. In general, you will enjoy these peaceful moments so much that you will begin to look for them more frequently throughout the day or make your meditation sessions a little longer each time. Your entire being will be grateful. And gratefulness is a frequency that leads to greatness.
2. Mantras, Prayer & Affirmations
Positive self-talk is magic. Use mantras and prayers to increase positive energy around and inside of you. Remember, you are not alone and energies will work on your behalf if you let them. In conjunction, use affirmations to maintain those elevated frequencies. Say or write them, do what feels organic to you.
Whatever or whomever your god or goddess is, surrender to their glory. Participate in small acts of gratitude during those five minutes or anytime throughout the day. Being aware of the positive forces around us, acknowledging and thanking them is the perfect way to change how you view life, self and those around you.
3. Yoga
You do not have to go to a studio or gym to reap the benefits of yoga. Right in the comfort of your own home, you can do a quick five-minute set of yoga. If you’re familiar with yoga, hold a pose, like tree, any warrior stance, cobra, corpse or downward facing dog, or do deep stretching. If you’re not familiar with yoga, do a YouTube search for five-minute yoga. Challenge your body and your mind. When the five minutes are up, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, which increases your positive attitude about yourself and what you can do in this life.
Prana, or body heat, will help detoxify, leading to a cleaner mind and body—so go for yoga that really gets the body moving. If you’re injured, gentle poses are best, or if you’re under the weather, a more vigorous set can drastically change your body’s temperature to battle illness. You will feel the power of your body and mind in unison, and suddenly, you will realize the body holds the answers, the cures and remedies you seek. You will feel the energies pulsating at higher levels, like tingles or waves. If that isn’t proof enough that we are the coolest technology on the planet, then what is? Plus, you’ll be boosting immunity and positive vibes.
4. Breathing
OK, you breathe and don’t realize it, right? Yes, of course you do—breathing is not something we normally think about; it just happens. But we should think about it. We should be more present with our breath, we should listen to it, observe it, let it fill our entire bodies, realize the role it plays in our lives, and how it connects us to the world around us. Deep breathing decreases stress and increases our ability to face the world. Imagine the clean, cool air entering the body and all the negative, destructive attitudes and behaviors leaving. If you think that’s too new age-y, fine; just focus on the breath for five minutes and see if your mind, body and soul don’t slow down a bit and give you time to really think and evaluate. Submit to spirit.
We are breath, yet place too much emphasis on body. We forget that without breath, we cannot exist. We are breath, and appreciating breath if but for a moment reaps benefits. Experiment with daily breathing exercises, and remember our breath is our spirit, our life force. For when we depart our bodies, the first sign of death is the absence of breath.
5. Stillness
Turn off your phone, your computer, the music in the background, and while you’re at it, turn off the lights, too. Sit in darkness and be still. Do nothing. Or go outside and sit in nature alone, without a book or any electronics, just with yourself and the universe. We’re consumed with doing, and doing something all the time is the measurement by how we rate success. In nature, however, there are no events, not much happens… yet everything happens.
Being still is a lost art. We’re constantly moving from point A to point B, from one thought to the another, from one page to the next. We cannot sit still, and this indicates we are modern humans living in a modern world. And while there are many benefits of being a modern human, unfortunately, we’ve lost touch with our more natural state of being still. Stillness is key, and the more you engage in the practice, you’ll notice that organically you feel better about self in ways you might not have ever imagined. Let stillness be your guide to calming the water within.