The Easiest Way to Change

Your Health & Life in Just 5 Seconds

by Tamer Issa, PT, DPT

I recently finished reading The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins. I believe the 5 Second Rule is a simple but profound tool to help people reach their goals.

Let me tell you how you can use the 5 Second Rule to improve your health and life.

In the book, Mel writes, “The fact is that thinking about being healthier won’t make you healthier. Even meditation, which is a mental exercise, still requires that you DO IT. There is no getting around this. You must take action.”

What Is the 5 Second Rule?

The 5 Second Rule is a simple tool that undercuts most of the negative talk, self-doubt, and excuses that your mind employs to keep you from taking action. Using the rule allows you to procrastinate less, reach your goals and live a happier life.

In simple terms, the 5 Second Rule is this-

We Just Want to Do Things That Feel Easy

Have you ever noticed how the smallest things can feel so hard? Especially when it comes to taking care of your health. We all know what we should do-- eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and manage our stress. Yet, we have difficulty consistently doing the things that we know that are good for us.

Why? Because doing those things are hard and we just want to do things that feel easy. The fact of the matter is that it’s easier to watch TV, eat fast food, or surf the net than it is to exercise, cook a healthy meal, or meditate for 10 minutes.

We are always waiting for the right time or for when we feel like it. Here’s the secret-- you’ll never feel like it, you just have to 5-4-3-2-1 Go!

How you feel at the moment is almost never aligned with your goals and your dreams – if you only act when you feel like it, you will never get what you want.

Just 5-4-3-2-1-GO and force yourself to start walking, get to the gym, or put the cookie down.

How to Use the 5 Second Rule to Improve Your Health

The rule can be used to:

• Change behavior and push yourself to create new healthy habits.

• Give you the courage to do new things that don’t come easy like eating healthy and starting an exercise routine.

• Control your mind and minimize negative thoughts, worries, and anxieties that are preventing you from being the best version of yourself.

Whenever you have an instinct fire up towards a health goal or a commitment, use the rule. Whenever you feel yourself hesitate on doing something that you know you should do, use the rule.

All you have to do is count backward from 5-4-3-2-1 and then think of the action that you wish to do. Here are some examples of how you use it…

You don’t feel like working out… 5-4-3-2-1-GO and get to the gym.

You are at a dinner party and you are tempted to visit the dessert table… 5-4-3-2-1-GO and opt for fresh fruit over the cheesecake.

You think that joining an aquatic exercise program might help you reach your health goals… 5-4-3-2-1- GO and pick up the phone to find out when the next class is.

Changing Lives 5 Seconds at a Time

People all over the world have used the 5 Second Rule to change their body, mindset, and life. You can too! All you have to do is search the #5secondrule to see for yourself.

I personally have used the 5 Second Rule to capitalize on opportunities that I may have been afraid to take, to start a morning routine of exercise, yoga, and meditation, and to make better food choices on a daily basis.

If you want to do the things that align with your health and wellness goals, according to Mel, there’s only one thing you must do: “Stop thinking about how you feel. Your feelings don’t matter. The only thing that matters is what you DO.” So, 5-4-3-2-1 and GO DO IT!!!

If you want to learn how the neurophysiology and psychology behind how all this works, I encourage to read the book or check out Mel’s Blog.