Step Back From Worries

(calm music) Welcome to Your Daily Shine. Today is September 3rd, and it's your time to connect with you. (calm music continues) Do you ever get lost in a spiral of thoughts that have nothing to do with what's in front of you or most important to you? We've all been there. Worrying is part of being human, but sometimes worries can overcome us. They can take us out of the present moment. That's why knowing how to stop a worry spiral is a game changer. And today we're diving into one incredibly easy method, the 5-by-5 rule. It's basically this. Pause and ask yourself if what you're worried about will matter in five years. If the answer is "yes", carry on. Think through that action plan, consider the options you have ahead of you, whatever you need to get through this. But if the answer is "no," or "probably not," give yourself only five minutes to worry. Once that five is up, try to get back to living your life. Move on. The 5-by-5 rule is great for breaking out of a worry spiral because it puts our worries into context. It gives us some distance from our thoughts so we can neutrally decide if they're worth our time. It also lets you feel your tough feelings instead of pushing away frustration only for it to build up further. You can welcome it and then let it go. To practice using the 5-by-5 rule, let's give ourselves some space to reflect together. (relaxing music) Start by getting in a comfy position, softly close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and out. (relaxing music continues) Roll your shoulders to the back, and now the front. Wiggle your jaw and loosen up all those little muscles. Another longer breath in and out. Feel your body melt as you relax from head to toe. (relaxing music continues) First, let's just sit here with our thoughts for a little bit. Observe what's on your mind as if each thought is a cloud passing in the sky. It's here for now, and then it floats away. Notice what you're thinking about. Notice what you're worried about. Do this without judging yourself, because after all, it's human to worry. (relaxing music continues) (relaxing music continues) Nice. Now reflect on a worry that's on your mind lately. If you can, sum it up in a statement mentally in your own words. (relaxing music continues) Now ask yourself, "Will this matter in five years?" Five years from now, wherever you are, whoever you're with, whatever you are doing, will this be on your mind? Will it have affected your life overall? (relaxing music continues) If your answer was "yes" to that question, that's okay. Think it through. Decide what you want to do about it. Ask yourself if maybe you need support from your community. If the answer was "no," that's also okay. Give yourself some space to think it through, but cap it at five...