The Chic Creative

In Week 20 of our 52 Weeks of Chic we practice the 5 x 5 Rule. 

While I didn’t create this principle, I have benefitted from it tremendously. 

The 5 x 5 Rule is designed to keep you calm and focused when unexpected circumstances threaten to wreck your day.

The 5 x 5 Rule simply states:  “If it is not going to matter in 5 years then don’t spend 5 minutes being upset about it.”  

So when someone is accusatory, criticizing, hurtful or rude or plans don’t work out as you’d hoped, instead of reacting, stop and ask yourself “In 5 years am I going to care what this person said, posted or did or be upset that my plans fell through or my expectations went unmet?

Time and energy are our greatest commodities.  Do we really want to waste either reacting to situations that won’t matter later?

Life’s going to always have its ups and downs and maybe occasionally an emotionally charged response is appropriate but more often than not it isn’t. 

When we get served with the unexpected we choose to apply the 5 x 5 Rule knowing 5 minutes of negative now won’t matter 5 years from now.  

While no one is expected to robotically move through life emotionless, we are responsible for the battles we choose to participate in so we select them wisely. 

We either manage our emotions or they manage us.

So this week we commit to practicing the 5 x 5 Rule.  If it won’t matter 5 years from now then it doesn’t get 5 minutes of our time, energy or emotions.

Sandra Hubbard

#letitgo #pickyourbattles #thechiccreative