Transform your daily routine into a purposeful adventure with these 4 simple, yet powerful 5-minute life changers. Add them to your toolbox of mental resources and bring them along as your loyal travel companions on your path to purpose.
One common misconception is that elevating your consciousness and finding inner peace requires two things: Time and effort.
Think again! These life changers are not time-consuming rituals that demand hours of your day. They are little, but powerful habits that you can weave seamlessly into your routine — during your lunch break at work, the first rays of the morning sun, or the quiet moments before you drift off to sleep.
It takes no longer than 5 minutes of your time daily for you to experience the transformative effects of these practices and harvest the benefits to help expand your mind.
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
John C. Maxwell
1 | Breathwork
An ancient, yet remarkably effective tool — I was surprised to learn that not many people are familiar with this life-changing practice despite its scientifically proven benefits for both body and mind.
The power of breath lies at the very essence of life itself. Breath is life and without it, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. By practicing conscious breathing, you are not just filling your lungs with air; you are embracing life at its core, and within that simple yet transformative practice lies boundless benefits.
What are the benefits of breathwork?
Let’s dive into some of the the science-backed benefits of breathwork:
Stress reduction
Increased energy level
Improved mental focus
Emotional regulation
Better sleep quality
Pain management
Anxiety and depression relief
Mind-body connection
The power of breath holds the ability to bring your mind away from your immediate struggles and stressors of everyday life and place you in a space of complete clarity. For a moment, you are able to see life from a higher perspective, and that feeling usually lingers on for a few hours.
How does breathwork make you feel?
Breathwork invites you in to an altered state of consciousness — even if it’s only for 5 minutes. Most people experience a meditative, trance-like state that can feel like a big weight lifted off your shoulders. It serves as a quick cleansing of the mind and a great release of any tension that may be wearing you down mentally and emotionally.
Oh, and the side effects? Overall, breathwork is perfectly safe for most people, but since you are temporarily limiting the flow of oxygen, people with these conditions could experience some side-effects although it’s highly unlikely. It’s also common to experience a sensation of restlessness or burning in your nostrils which is still completely safe.
We recommend following a guided video to take you through a proper 5-minute breathwork session like this one:
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these sessions as well:
2 | Journaling
There’s something so empowering about pen-to-paper. Journaling is simple, yes, but it’s one of the most elevating life changers that you can easily add to your daily routine. Before you know it, you’ll be your own best friend!
Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable
Journaling may feel slightly uncomfortable at first. Thoughts like: “Journaling is mostly for teenagers, isn’t it?”; “What am I even supposed to write about?”, or; “I am not that skilled of a writer, so it’s probably not for me,” may cross you mind.
Instead of letting these self-limiting thoughts take control, tell yourself that we fear what we don’t understand. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of journaling, consider it a sign that it’s the perfect 5-minute practice for you! Day by day, journaling is a gateway to getting to know yourself.
Whether it’s a midday escape or a midnight reflection, grab a pen and your favorite notebook and start catching those fleeting thoughts. It’s important that you don’t just write down what happened throughout your day, but that you focus on how you felt about what happened.
Why is journaling effective?
Ink on paper is a life-changing tool, because it allows you to zoom out and notice patterns in your life that you may otherwise have overlooked; self-destructive habits, toxic people in your circle, magical moments, and new inspiring passions are all brought under the spotlight for your inspection. Journaling generates awareness which is the foundation of inner growth.
How can you fix something, if you’re not aware that it’s broken? Can you live a purposeful life, if you don’t realize that you’re unfulfilled at work? How can you heal a wound, if you don’t notice that it’s bleeding? You simply can’t, and that’s the secret behind journaling.
That’s why the key to successful journaling is brutal honesty. You can’t build a strong, sustainable relationship with yourself if you are lying to yourself or dimming your emotions. Your journal is a safe space of non-judgement. Your thoughts and feelings won’t be shared with anyone, and you don’t have to go through the filtering process that you would talking to a friend. And of course, there’s no worries about correct spelling, grammar, or funky handwriting.
“The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.”
Robin Sharma
Where do I start?
If you’re unsure what to journal about or having a hard time getting started, you can use these 7 journal prompts for inspiration:
1 | What has been your general state of mind today? Hopeful? Happy? Uninspired? Sad? Motivated? What
made you feel that way?
2 | What activities made you feel in touch with your mind and body?
3 | Did you feel emotionally triggered at any point?
4 | What made you smile or laugh?
5 | What intentional changes did you make to your daily routine, and how did you feel about them?
6 | Did you do anything that made you feel challenged or uncomfortable?
7 | What made you feel energized or brought you a sense of momentum? What didn’t?
For more journal prompt inspiration, check out this helpful website with 550+ journal prompts!
3 | Intention Setting
The next life skill on our list of daily life changers is a simple practice that brings you a sense of direction and motivation. Intention is the beginning of all growth, so intentional living is the main component of self-development.
Why daily intentions matter…
Too often, we find ourselves drifting aimlessly in life, caught in the currents of daily routine. Millions of people live in slumber from their true passions and purpose in life, because we get so easily distracted by things that don’t really matter.
We get carried away by societal expectations like meeting career goals and chasing success that we bury ourselves in unfulfilling work. This is a fast route to nowhere, and you can bet that life has more in store for you — it’s up to you to go and claim it!
That’s why living intentionally is such a transformative skill. Intentional living can be as simple as a daily check-in to make sure you’re moving in the direction that you want to go (unfaced by external pressures).
Setting morning intentions
Setting an intention in the morning before your daily duties begin is like a wake up call from slumber. Your intention will subconsciously linger in the back of your head throughout your day. Even in the chaos of stress and distraction, you’re moving towards a life that you choose. You are responding rather than reacting.
On particularly stressful days, you can also zoom in and place your intention more specifically by saying: For the next 30 minutes, I will give my body what it truly needs to get through your day gracefully, or: For the next hour, I choose to be fully invested in my work.
You can also zoom out, look at your life from a higher perspective, and state: Over the next month, I want to increase the hours that I spend working on my hobby by procrastinating less, or: I am going to spend more quality time with my significant other over the next year’s time. You get the picture!
More than 6000 thoughts cruise in and out of your mind every day, so writing your intentions down the old school way is the key to manifesting (and memorizing) it.
We invite you to check out our brand new CLARITY WORKBOOK that is guaranteed to help you gain a crystal clear vision of where you want to go in life and help you get there!
4 | Visualization
Athletes use it before competition, actors do it before they go on stage, and successful people of all traits have been using the power of “the mind’s eye” to their advantage since the rise of mankind. You can use it too!
Introducing: Visualization
Out of the 4 life changers, visualization is the most underrated mental tool that very few people use regularly but still holds incredible power. By envisioning your future success (however you may define success), you initiate a relationship with destiny, creating powerful momentum that will propel you forward. This isn’t wishful thinking; it’s a journey where the unseen slowly becomes tangible.
The secret is that your brain cannot differentiate between what’s real and what’s imagined. To your mind, it’s exactly the same. So, when you tune in to the image of your future self thriving, you’re not just day dreaming — you’re training and preparing your mind and body to expect the future, as if it was already the present.
You might be thinking: “That sounds cool, but how can that be true? Does it really work?” and I can’t blame you for asking that. It sounds too good to be true, but the truth is that visualization actually works, if you believe it does!
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Peter Drucker
How to visualize?
The key to making visualization is to not only see your future self but to feel it. Visualization must be a full body experience. The best way to ensure that is to incorporate all five senses in your mental imagery and paint a vibrant picture so vivid that you can actually feel it.
Start by picturing a specific scenario that you really want to come true. Feel the warmth of the room you’re in, hear the sounds around you, taste the success, smell the victory, and see the details unfold like a 4-dimensional masterpiece. Let your mind run freely in this new reality that you’ve created with no boundaries holding you back. Repeat this before falling asleep, and you’ll wake up feeling energized and confident.
For inspiration, feel free to try this visualization:
1 | Lay down in a comfortable position in a quiet space with limited distractions.
2 | Close your eyes and take some full, deep breaths. Pay attention to the rhythm of your breath.
3 | In your minds eye, envision your future self in a specific situation, achieving whatever you wish.
4 | Focus on the details of this image and incorporate all of your senses: What does the setting look/smell
like? Are there other people? How are you feeling? Proud? Confident? Carefree? Loved? Fulfilled?
5 | Dig deeper into the world you’ve created and explore the limitless opportunities of your future.
If you need a helping hand getting started, check out this extremely pleasant guided visualization that will not only help manifest your dreams but also lull you right to sleep!
Farewell Reflections
The power of the mind is undeniable, and so is the power of a daily routine founded on healthy habits that align with your very best self. Combined, these 4 practices don’t have to take any longer than 20 minutes daily and would look something like this:
MORNING (5 min): Intention Setting — Direction & motivation
NOON (5 min): Breathwork — Clarity & energy
AFTERNOON (5 min): Journaling — Awareness & release of negativity
EVENING (5 min): Visualization — Self-confidence & momentum
There you have it! The perfect recipe of life changers for a powerful, purpose-driven, and consciously elevated lifestyle.
Remember, you weren’t put on this earth to be content. You were put here to achieve great things and become all that you can be in this lifetime. Dare to try, to fail, and to succeed. Find the courage to LIVE!
Finally, go share this post with your friends and family, neighbors and acquaintances, and anyone in need of these simple, yet powerful life changers.
Thank you for your time!
— Guides for Growth