355. How To Be Awesome At 5 Words Not To Rush Through Life
How often do you find yourself rushing… even when nothing is actually wrong?
You're hurrying your kids to get in the car.
Speed-walking through the grocery store.
Eating lunch while answering emails.
Counting down to Friday.
Thinking, "I just need to get through today."
Somewhere along the way, I think we've started treating ordinary life like it's an emergency.
I started saying these 5 words to myself...
"This is not an emergency."
Today we're going to talk about how to stop living like every single thing is on fire...
...because it isn't.
And when you start reminding yourself that this isn't an emergency...
you don't just become calmer… you become happier overall.
We Have Accidentally Turned Everyday Life Into An Emergency
Think about how many times today you probably said...
"Hurry."
"We're late."
"Come on."
"We don't have time."
"Let's go."
Most of us are moving at emergency speed...
...without an emergency.
Ask yourself...
If someone watched security camera footage of my life...
would they think I was constantly responding to disasters?
Or just making breakfast?
Because sometimes they look exactly the same.
Examples We Rush Through Every Day
Getting kids ready for school
Instead of...
"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"
Imagine saying internally...
"This isn't an emergency."
Will they still get dressed?
Yes.
Will yelling make it faster?
Usually not.
But it definitely changes everyone's morning.
Waiting in line
We immediately grab our phones.
Complain.
Get frustrated.
Instead...
"This isn't an emergency."
Maybe it's two extra minutes.
Maybe this becomes your breathing break.
Traffic
Somebody cuts you off.
You're late.
Heart rate skyrockets.
Except...
You arriving thirty seconds sooner changes almost nothing.
Grocery shopping
People rush aisle to aisle.
Barely noticing anyone.
Never smiling.
Never enjoying choosing food they'll feed their family.
Life becomes one giant checklist.
Cleaning your house
Instead of...
"I have to get this done."
Try...
"I GET to create a home my family enjoys."
Same task.
Different experience.
Folding laundry
Jay Shetty often talks about mindfulness inside ordinary moments.
Laundry isn't stealing your life.
Laundry IS your life.
These ordinary moments ARE your life.
The "Can't Wait Until..." Trap
This one is huge.
People spend decades saying...
"I can't wait until..."
The baby sleeps through the night.
They're potty trained.
They're in kindergarten.
Middle school.
High school.
College.
Retirement.
Vacation.
Friday.
Summer.
The remodel is finished.
When we finally move.
When the house is clean.
When I lose twenty pounds.
Jay Shetty talks often about how our minds live in the future...
and miss the only place life actually exists.
Today.
What If This Was The Good Part?
This might be the chapter you'll miss someday.
The noisy dinner table.
Little baseball cleats by the door.
Teenagers asking for rides.
Kids needing hugs.
Messy kitchens.
Dog hair everywhere.
The chaos...
might actually be the dream.
Looking For What's Wrong
One thing I've noticed...
When we're rushing...
our brain becomes a problem detector.
Traffic.
Mess.
Noise.
Delays.
People moving too slowly.
Bad service.
Rain.
We're constantly scanning for irritation.
Instead...
What if we asked...
What's beautiful about this moment?
What would I miss if this disappeared tomorrow?
The Brain Finds What It Looks For
If you're looking for inconvenience...
you'll always find it.
If you're looking for joy...
you'll find that too.
This is something both Mel Robbins and Jay Shetty return to in different ways: attention shapes experience. You don't control every circumstance, but you do have influence over where your mind rests.
Different Phases Of Life
Young parents
Instead of...
"I just need bedtime."
Think...
"This little voice asking for one more story won't last forever."
Parents of teenagers
Instead of...
"I can't wait until they're independent."
Think...
"One day they'll stop needing me this much."
Working professionals
Instead of rushing meeting to meeting...
Take thirty seconds.
Breathe.
Drink your coffee while it's hot.
Look out the window.
Nothing explodes.
Entrepreneurs
Everything feels urgent.
Every email.
Every customer.
Every notification.
Every opportunity.
But if we're honest...
very few business decisions require panic.
Good businesses are built through consistent decisions...
not frantic ones.
Questions To Ask Yourself
Whenever you feel yourself speeding up...
Ask:
Is someone in danger?
Is this actually urgent?
Will this matter next week?
Can I slow my breathing?
Can I speak softer?
Can I smile?
Can I enjoy this?
Can I choose peace instead?
My Favorite Reset
Whenever I notice myself getting worked up...
I literally say...
"This is not an emergency."
Sometimes out loud.
Immediately...
My shoulders drop.
My breathing slows.
My voice softens.
I become a better mom.
A better wife.
A better friend.
A better business owner.
Not because my circumstances changed...
but because my nervous system changed.
Tiny Moments That Become Better
Waiting for your coffee.
Watching your child tie their shoes.
Cooking dinner.
Folding towels.
Driving to volleyball practice.
Standing in line at Disneyland.
Watching Little League warmups.
Listening to your teenager tell a story that takes forever.
Walking your dog.
Sunsets.
Rainstorms.
Family dinners.
These moments don't need to be escaped.
They're the moments we're going to remember.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
This week...
Every single time you notice yourself rushing...
Pause.
Take one deep breath.
And simply say...
"This isn't an emergency."
Then intentionally slow down by just 10%.
Walk slower.
Talk slower.
Eat slower.
Drive calmer.
Listen longer.
Smile more.
You might be surprised how much life you discover in those extra few seconds.
Life isn't usually asking us to move faster.
It's asking us to be more present.
The irony is that we spend so much of life racing toward the future...
that we barely experience the life we're actually living.
So this week...
Give yourself one simple reminder.
"This is not an emergency."
Because most of the time...
it isn't.
And when you stop treating ordinary moments like crises...
those ordinary moments become extraordinary.
I hope this episode helps you slow down & enjoy the beautiful life you're already living.