5 SIMPLE HABITS

To Change
Your Life

Mel Robbins
 Congratulations!
You’re about to take control of your life with five simple
habits you can start using right now.

If you feel:

Overwhelmed by your work or family, or both

“I need a break!”

Trapped by your thoughts or circumstances

“I’ll never get ahead.”

Frustrated with your lack of confidence or motivation

“Why can’t I keep my commitments?”

These habits will help you create a more positive mindset, forge new brain
pathways, so you can be more confident, productive, and fulfilled.

Once you know the tricks, watch out - there is no stopping the unstoppable YOU.

I’ll walk you through my top 5 mindset tricks in a minute, but first, you’ve got to
know this:
 You find the control
with habits

These mindset tricks require you to create new habits. Because if

you keep the same old habits, you get the same old results, right?

So I’m going to be pushing you to do something new—actually, 5

new things, in this guide. They will create exciting results for you,
and the more you use them, the more powerful they become.

Each of the 5 Mindset Tricks are habits, grounded in powerful

research. They’re very simple and effective, and I want you to use
them every day.

Let’s get started creating your new

habits and your new life!
MINDSET TRICK #1

PRACTICE THE
HIGH 5 HABIT
The High 5 Habit isn’t about high fiving
everyone else in your life.

You’re already doing that. You’re celebrating your friends. Cheering for your
family. Supporting the people you love as they go after what they want.
Imagine if you gave that same love and encouragement to yourself. Or even
better, you made it a daily habit.

The High 5 Habit is making it a habit to support,

empower, and celebrate yourself.
B

The easiest way to start is by high fiving your reflection in the mirror in the
morning.

You have a lifetime positive association with high fiving other people. So when
you high-five yourself, that positive association changes your neural pathways
and rewires your mindset to be more positive. It overrides any negative self-talk.
It beats down your inner critic.
 The High 5 Habit has two
simple, but powerful steps:

Standing in front of the mirror, just be

with yourself for a second.

Don’t focus on your appearance. Go deeper. See the person inside

that body. The spirit beneath the skin, and the soul behind that face.

When you feel ready, high-five yourself in the mirror.

Notice how your mind goes quiet. You might feel a boost of energy. You
might feel a sense of comfort, and you might feel like your telling yourself
“It’ll be okay.” You might think, “I got this.” It’s a powerful moment. Without
saying a word you’re telling yourself, I love you. I see you. I believe in you.
Let’s go. Don’t rush it. This moment is for you.

High five yourself first thing every morning.

 Why This Mindset
Trick Works:

High fiving yourself impacts your productivity.

Start the day in a positive state and you’re more likely to take action and shift
your focus on the possibilities around you. Basically, the high five turbo-charges
your day.

High fiving yourself teaches you to put your own needs first
– from the moment you wake up.

Instead of getting up and looking at social media, or emails, or taking care

of everyone else, just take a moment and give that same love, support, and
attention to yourself.

And if a high five feels stupid, uncomfortable, cheesy, or lame that’s the
resistance talking. It’s just an indicator of how starved you are for this kind
of love and attention.

Give it five days. Each morning, high-five yourself in the mirror. At the end of
the week, you may be surprised by how good it feels!
Want to learn more about
The High 5 Habit?

CLICK HERE FOR MEL’S NEW BOOK

MINDSET TRICK #2

HIGH 5 YOUR
HEART

Studies show that without first calming your anxiety and settling your nervous
system, there is NO WAY you’ll be able to change anything.

A high-five to your heart gets you into a calmer state

so you can make the real changes you want in life.

Use this trick anytime you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, or when your
thoughts are spinning. You can use it first thing in the morning, like I do, or
during your commute or when you’re standing in line at the store.
 A high five to the heart
has two simple steps:

Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and

put your hands on your heart.

Tell yourself, “I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m loved.”

Repeat it as many times as you need. Feel the relief that flows into
your heart and mind. You may need to say it a dozen times, or a
hundred times. You may need to exhale deeply as you do.

You’ll feel your body settle—you’ll feel more connected to yourself,

even the first time you use it. This habit will infuse you with a sense
of peace and surety.
 Why This Mindset Trick Works:

You’re literally teaching your body what it feels like to be safe. Each day
as you continue to practice it, you will soothe your weary nervous system,
retraining it to settle and to relax.

I want you to take this habit one step further to get even more benefits;
say your name in the statement. “Mel, you’re okay. Mel, you’re safe. Mel,
you’re loved.” This allows you to separate the voice that’s talking to you
from yourself.

When you talk to yourself in the third person, you leverage a concept in
psychology called “the power of objectivity.” Using your name gives you
a more objective perspective and makes you better able to deal with
negative emotions, even in highly charged situations.

When you’re stressed-out, your brain flips into survival mode. It won’t
let ANY new positive information into your higher brain, where you learn
skills and create memories. Instead, all it wants you to see are the threats
around you. That’s why morning stress can feel like a gravity blanket
pinning you down.

Turning off your body’s stress response is as simple as putting your hand on your
heart and giving it a high five, which will slow your body down and turn on your “rest
and relax” nervous system.

I want you to try it today: high-five your heart and

repeat “I’m okay, I’m safe, and I’m loved.”
MINDSET TRICK #3

USE THE
5 SECOND RULE

This started as a simple trick I used to get out of bed during the worst
moment of my life––and it has grown into a global phenomenon that has
changed the lives of millions.

The 5 Second Rule is now used by healthcare professionals, veterans’

organizations, and the world’s leading brands to help people become more
courageous, accomplish goals, and change behavior. And it will do the
same for you.

The 5 Second Rule helps you take action on anything.

 The 5 Second Rule
has one simple step:

When you feel yourself hesitate before

doing something that you know you
should do, count 5-4-3-2-1-GO and
move towards action.

As soon as you reach “1,” push yourself to move. If you don’t, your
brain will kill the idea. You’ll stay stuck.

This is how you push yourself to do the hard stuff – the work that you
don’t feel like doing, or you’re scared of doing, or you’re avoiding.
Why This Mindset Trick Works:

The 5 Second Rule is a metacognition tool that helps your brain bridge
the gap between thought and action.

That gap is alike a big canyon in your brain and most of us let our good
ideas or inspiration fall into the canyon, over and over again. The 5 Second
Rule is like a bridge over the canyon.

There is a window that exists between the moment you have an

instinct to change and your mind killing it.

It’s a 5-second window. And it exists for everyone. If you do not take
action on your instinct to change in those critical 5 seconds, you will stay
stagnant. You will not change.

If you do one thing—take even the tiniest action, you can prevent your
mind from working against you.

You start the positive momentum before the barrage of thoughts and
excuses hit you at full force.
Why This Mindset Trick Works:
C ON T I N U ED

Counting down will focus you on the goal or commitment and distract
you from the worries, thoughts, and excuses in your mind. Counting
engages the non-emotional parts of your brain so action comes more
easily.

The Rule doesn’t make things easy. It makes them happen.

Every single day we face moments that are uncertain, scary, and difficult.
These moments require courage. And you know what? Courage is a SKILL. It’s
something we build, one 5-second action at a time.

When you discover your courage, you will realize that you are capable of
accomplishing and experiencing anything that you dream about.

And now that you know WHAT The 5 Second Rule is, you can learn the story
behind it, the powerful science, and stories about how people are using it by
clicking here to get The 5 Second Rule book. It’s sold almost 2 million copies
and has over 100,000 five-star reviews across all platforms.
MINDSET TRICK #4

ALARM RINGS,
YOU’RE UP

If you want to change your life, it begins in bed, every single morning.

The moment your alarm rings, it’s time to work on the core skill that you need
to change any area of your life. Change doesn’t require motivation.

Change requires discipline.

You need the discipline to do what you said you were going to do. If you don’t
have enough discipline in your life, you won’t be able to follow through on any
changes you want to make. So we’re starting small.
Here’s the simple step to
creating that discipline:

When that alarm rings, instead of hitting

snooze, get right out of bed.
 Why This Mindset
Trick Works:

Changing your life requires discipline and follow through.

Ask yourself: Can you keep a promise to yourself?
Can you keep a promise to yourself when it feels uncomfortable?
Can you keep a promise to yourself when suddenly you don’t want to?
Can you keep a promise to yourself when it’d be easier not to?

Start to practice the skill of showing up for yourself no matter what by simply
setting the alarm the night before. When the alarm rings, it’s time to keep that
promise. No matter what you’re feeling, your number one job is to keep that
promise to yourself. Get up as soon as it rings.

The snooze button is killing your productivity.

The snooze button is the productivity killer you’ve never heard of: sleep inertia.

We sleep in 90-110 minute cycles. When the alarm rings, you’re awake. Then
you fall back to sleep. When the “snooze” alarm goes off 15 minutes later, the
part of the brain responsible for decision-making, attention, alertness, and self-
control, is still in the sleep cycle.
It won’t be able to snap awake; the sleep cycle needs 75 more minutes to
finish what that snooze button started. That’s the sleep inertia.

That’s why you feel so darn groggy when you get up after hitting the snooze.

Stop focusing on WHEN you wake up, and focus on HOW you wake up. So,
tomorrow, the alarm goes off. 54321-UP. No snooze. Seize the day, and
prepare yourself to be extra productive.

Changing your reason for getting up gets you more fired up.

Tomorrow, get out of bed when the alarm rings for YOURSELF. Not for your
boss, or for your kids, or your partner.

You become a driver in your life when you get out of bed for yourself. Choose
your life and be responsible for it – realize that when you get out of bed you’re
waking up and starting the day for yourself.

Do it every morning, along with these other mindset tricks and you are building
the habit of consistency. And that habit of consistency is the backbone to all
change.
MINDSET TRICK #5

BE KIND TO
YOURSELF
I know what you’re thinking, “Mel, come on. Be kind?? I want proven mindset
tricks and you’re telling me THIS?”

Yes. This is actually one of the most important tricks you can do. Understand this:

Being kind to yourself has the power to completely change your life––yet
self-acceptance is the positive habit that we practice the least, according to
research.

You’ll drink the kale smoothie, go to the gym, get up earlier, cut out gluten, and
meditate...and the entire time beat yourself up about the fact that you’re still not
doing enough or not doing it right. That’s why being kind to yourself is what really
matters.

When you are trying so hard to improve your life but

letting your Inner Critic rip up everything you’ve done,
it’s like slamming on the gas pedal and pulling up on
the emergency brake. You’re going nowhere.
 Here’s how to be kind to
yourself in 2 simple steps:

Lower or change your expectations to fit the

situation. It’s okay to be doing less or stressed out.

You need to change your expectations and realize that right

now is a moment in time where your number one priority is to
be kind yourself.

Celebrate the little wins.

We spent so much of our lives attaching our worth to things outside

of ourselves. We feel we’re only worthy of love or celebration when
we get that A+, that raise, that engagement, or that win. The truth
is, we are worthy just as we are. We were born worthy.

Every day that you wake up, you are worthy of celebration and
praise. Affirm yourself, no matter what’s going on. That is a
powerful way to be kind to yourself.
 Why This Trick Works:

When researchers study all the things that you could

change that make a meaningful impact on the quality of
your life, the single most important change is making it a
habit to be kind to yourself.

Another study found that all the #1 predictor of how happy

and satisfied you would be is self-acceptance. They also
found that the least practiced habit was (you guessed it)
self-acceptance.

A daily high five in the mirror is another great way to practice self-acceptance.
Every morning, just by getting up on time and starting your day, you’ve
accomplished something––so celebrate it! Give yourself a high five in the
mirror and tell yourself you’re doing a great job.
 There you have it:
5 simple habits that will change your life. I practice
each of these five habits every single day. While they
are all small individually, when you do them together,
they create a powerful shift in your life.

Thanks so much for reading, and I can’t wait for you to try them out.
And once you put them into practice, let me know what you think!

Tag me online and tell me

what you’ve learned.

@melrobbins

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