The 5-Second Rule: Debunked and Reframed for Spiritual Enrichment

Quickly claim the Truth of who you are with a spontaneous affirmation, such as "I am grounded and at peace” or “My consciousness is stronger than any fear I am feeling at this moment!” And be assured: There is no magical “right way” to frame an affirmation. They do not HAVE TO start with “I am …” nor do they have to put in an exact wording to be powerful! The only recommendations (not requirements) are to make affirmations positive, grounded in the Truth of who you are, and said with feeling/emotion. The most effective affirmations are often ones made on the fly, spontaneously from what you are experiencing in the moment.

Inhale deeply and exhale slowly, centering yourself in the present moment. The simple act of taking a slow, deep breath can create a calmness and clarity that reduces stress, clears your thinking, lowers blood pressure, and help you access deeper states of consciousness.

[We actually recommend investing a bit more than 5 seconds to try the Calm & Connect technique, which advocates an inbreath to a slow count of 4, holding the breath to a slow count of 7, and a slow exhale to a count of 8. This technique (or a simpler version of 4-4-4 count breathing) promotes relaxation, calms your thinking, and activates the vagus nerve, that super highway nerve that runs through the center of your body, connecting the brain to various organs in the body. In addition to playing a crucial role in bodily functions such as digestion, heart rate, and breathing, the vagus nerve counteracts the “fight, flight, freeze, appease” response to stress.]

Think of one thing you're grateful for and let that feeling fill you up. Just check the research—Gratitude is like a superpower—it can reduce depression and anxiety, promote heart health, relieve stress, improve sleep, increase self-esteem, and enhance relationships. Gratitude lists are an important practice in spiritual enhancement as well. For the 5-second technique, try closing your eyes, turn around and open your eyes. Whatever they land on, take 5 seconds to express gratitude and notice what deeper feelings and memories flow in with it. Warning: Gratitude is contagious! Once you begin focusing on gratitude, you’ll want to keep going!

Research tells us that smiling can relieve stress, boost confidence, reduce pain lower heart rate, boost immune system, improve productivity, bolster self-esteem, and open your awareness to spiritual enrichment. Not to mention smiling is contagious! [Tip: If you don’t feel like smiling but would like the benefits mentioned above, stick a pencil horizontally in your mouth! Your mouth forms the shape of a smile, which can trick your brain into responding to happiness!]

Here are two ways to use this 5-second tip.

• Imagine a warm, glowing light surrounding you, as a shield offering protection and positivity. 
• Secondly, try a Quick Energy Boost -- visualize the glowing light of your Soul Chakra flowing into each Chakra: Crown, Third-Eye, Throat, Heart, Solar Plexus, Sacral, Root Chakras, then flowing back up through your pranic tube.
  

We like to call this the “Gotcha! Game.” Catch yourself when a negative thought, poor self-talk, or old stories pop in your head, say “Gotcha!” and reframe it into something positive or constructive. No guilt required for this game! And trust us – you can reframe it in the flash of 5 seconds once you catch it!

Quickly decide on a positive intention for the next few minutes. Just pause in the midst of what you’re doing and affirm: In the next few minutes, “I set the intention to …” This can often create an instant reset to what you’re doing, setting a more productive activity in motion.

Nature provides a calming and restorative environment, reducing stress and enhancing a sense of well-being. For a 5-second therapy, do something that connects you with nature. For example, touch a plant,  look at the sky, walk outside your door and breathe, keep beautiful photos of nature available to view at a moment’s notice, listen to nature sounds, go barefoot – yes, even 5 seconds feels amazing! A cool experience is to become aware of bare feet touching the ground, and scrunching your feet to ‘take in’ the tactile experience. You can even get creative with ‘connecting with nature’ by eating fresh fruit, nuts, veggies that require no preparation. Just a bite to capture the essence of the nature that created it!

We are borrowing this term from Ingrid Fatell Lee, whose brilliant concept focuses on cultivating a keen awareness of thegreat and crushing beauty that is all around you!” https://aestheticsofjoy.com/ In the context of our 5-second rule reframe, we recommend taking 5 seconds to observe and experience where you are. Look up, When you look around mindfully, something will pop out as a source of wonder, joy, awe.

We love the quote from Deepak Chopra, “Nothing is so mundane that is cannot be a source of wonder, creativity, love, and the deep satisfaction of being alive, here and now.” 

Grounding is a practice that can be experienced physically as well as emotionally. It has been shown to help create space from distressing feelings, refocus on what’s important, and improve well-being, mood, and confidence. For the 5-second strategy, simply take 5 seconds to intentionally feel your feet on the ground and imagine roots growing from them, connecting you to the earth.