Each week, it’s my goal to bring you 5 things and ideas that can inspire, excite, help you reach goals, and motivate you to feel your best.  In my personal life, I have always relied on using five minutes, five things, five actions in order to motivate and feel just a little better.  If I can’t commit to cleaning the whole house, can I commit to take five minutes? Likely. If I feel really lazy, I can put five things away, pay five bills, or get five things off my to-do list.  In times of stress, I can give myself five minutes to zen out, meditate, or do yoga poses.

As simple as it seems, taking a small approach to solving bigger problems comes in handy.  A client of mine was so overwhelmed with her 10 page final review that the thought of even starting it caused anxiety.  I asked her to simply do five problems.  That small task allowed her t0 do a few more, and finally she was up to 20.

Take Five: Here’s How to Do It

• Set a timer for 5 minutes.  Stay focused on one area of your home: closet, kitchen, bathroom.  See how much you can get done organizing or cleaning before the buzzer sounds.  Its like a game, and can motivate you to feel better, as well as make a part of your home a nice place to be.  I promise you will feel better, just try not to focus on what you haven’t done, rather what you accomplished.

• Start small. Have a to-do list a mile long?  Can’t decide where to start?  Pick  five items that you can commit to today. It may not get the whole list completed, but its better than nothing or the opposite, which is stressing out about them so much that you don’t get them done at all.

• Eat Healthy.  Pick five items you want to eat more of or add into your diet this week.  The problem with dieting is that people tend to try and change their diet all at once, and your body gets angry.  All or nothing is never a long term solution.  So pick five things you want to add in. More veggies? Less junk food? Find five healthy alternatives. Hit up Whole Foods and try five new foods at the salad bar, cold case, or hot food bar. You don’t have to buy a bunch of food that you don’t like, rather try some that look interesting and get your taste buds a kick.  Plus this will help you explore new healthier foods to try each week.

• Chill.  In times of massive chaos, work overload, or feeling like I am headed to crazy-town, I can take five minutes to tune into myself and chill.  This means putting on a guided mediation, deep breathing, or hit the yoga mat.  I have even been known to shut my door of the office an do it there.  If I can give myself this time, I know that the rest of the day will be a little less crazed.

• Call five people. Rather than texting, emailing, voxing, or however you communicate, try actually picking up the phone and calling someone.  People appreciate hearing your voice and it connects you in away the new technology cant.  FaceTime, iChat, and Skype totally count, if you can hear their voice and see their face.

So stay tuned to the next five things that will enhance your life and inspire and motivate.  Plus add your own below.

Take Good Care,

Emily

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Emily Roberts MA, LPC is The Guidance Girl. Her goal is to help YOU become the most confident person you know! Emily is an award-winning author Express Yourself: A Teen Girls Guide to Speaking Up and Becoming Who You Are, Psychotherapist, TV & Media Contributor, Educational Speaker, and parenting consultant. She travels around the country educating girls, women, and parents. Express Yourself is available at bookstores nationwide and on Amazon. To learn more about Emily click here.