Goodbye 2024…..
But before really saying goodbye to 2024, I did a review on 2024 and the years before. Sad to say, it was a shame….
Those new year resolutions that I set, I did not complete, but it got lost along the way through the year(s).
Well, not all were lost…… I managed to keep one specific resolution over the years, that is to jog and excercise at least 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes in total. To date, I am still continuing strong, and have, at times, increased the intensity of my exercise.
As I reflected, I realized that starting was very difficult, well, at least for me. The initial days and weeks were rather inconsistent. Here are some examples on the difficulties that I faced:
- Difficulty getting up in the morning.
- Giving all sorts of excuses.
- Too late.
- Too early.
- Tired, even though I am not.
- Leaving it to tomorrow.
However, after breaking the obstacles, and got into the flow of routine, it became easier. Let me share with you how I managed to bash through the barriers.
I chanced upon the book ‘The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins‘. You can get it at Amazon.
‘The 5 Second Rule‘ introduces a simple yet powerful technique to overcome procrastination and take action towards our goals. At its core, it is to count down from 5 to 1, which acts as a pause, and then physically take action thereafter before our brain self-talk us out of it.
Below is a summary of the key concepts.
Overcoming Procrastination: The 5-second countdown creates a quick pause to whatever we are thinking, and by acting quickly after the 5-second, helps us to push past hesitation and self-doubt, breaking the cycle of overthinking and inertia.
Building Confidence: It helps to build confidence and courage by encouraging small acts of bravery, and each time we use this 5-second rule, we reinforce our ability to take action despite fear or uncertainty.
Applying the Rule: The 5-second rule can be applied to various situations, from getting out of bed in the morning, exercising, studying etc. It is a versatile tool that bring us a step into the state of action.
I must confess. The 5-second rule did not always work on me. There were times when my stubborn mind over-rule the 5-second rule. Neverthelss, I had been successful most of the time. I realized that for the 5-second rule to completely work, we must have the right mindset, leaving completely to the technique of after counting down 5 second, we must take action despite our laziness and/or procrastination.
Finally, it is really time to say goodbye to 2024. There are no regrets, but experiences and lessons that made me a better version of myself.
Image Credit: garagestock / 123RF Stock Photo
