Once upon a time, a fierce samurai approached a Zen master with a burning question, “What is the difference between heaven and hell?”
The master responded with disdain, “Why should I answer a rough, unrefined brute like you? You’re nothing but a disgrace.”
The samurai, insulted and enraged, drew his sword, ready to strike.
At that moment, the Zen master calmly said, “That is hell.”
The words hit the samurai like a thunderbolt. He realized his uncontrolled anger had put him in a state of hell. Humbled and filled with gratitude, he bowed to the master.
The Zen master then softly added, “And that is heaven.”
This powerful parable underscores a critical truth: our inner world shapes our outer reality.
Most of us by default run to solve the problems of the world and try to fix people around us, when all we really need to focus on and solve for is our inner world. This is both liberating and complicated. Liberating because we no longer have to fix the world. Complicated because we are not used to sitting with our inner thoughts and reflections and need to muster courage and compassion to process the darker sides of ourselves.
It’s not impossible, but it’s a journey. A journey that requires us to consistently show up and be patient to see visible results.
5-minute Check-ins
Cultivating self-awareness does not have to be a complex task. All we need to do is schedule 5-min daily check ins.
This may not feel like much day after day, but over time this awareness has a subtle power to transform our way of being from the very core.
Why 5 Minutes Can Change Everything
You might wonder, can five minutes really make a difference? The answer is a resounding yes. Studies in neuroscience show that small, consistent habits create lasting changes in our brain. When you take even a brief moment to reflect, you activate regions in the brain responsible for attention, motivation, decision making and emotion, leading to long-term personal growth.
Think about it: five minutes is shorter than a coffee break, but its impact can ripple across your entire day. It’s a simple act of self-investment that compounds over time.
How to do a 5-min Check-In
It is a simple process where we pause for 5 minutes at the end of each day to reflect on:
- how we managed our time, energy, and attention
- what we did well
- what was challenging
- what we could have handled better
You can do this by journaling using pen or paper, on a google doc or notion sheet, or simply in a WhatsApp group with yourself.
Here are some thought starters to pen down in your Check-in
- Your rating for the day on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 Being Terrible 5 Being Brilliant
- Write a line on what made it that number
- Pen down your highlights of the day
- 1 Thing you learned today
- 1 Thing you’ll do better tomorrow
Want a template to do this? Drop a comment below saying “Template” and I’ll share a notion sheet that I use for my daily reflections.
Tips to Enhance Your 5-Minute Practice
If you want to go deeper with the check-in practice, you can include
1. Gratitude: Genuinely appreciating and listing down things or people or circumstances that make you feel grateful. This sets a positive tone and helps shift your focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant.
2. Schedule Time: To ensure you stay consistent, set a timer or an alarm as a daily reminder. This helps build the habit effortlessly.
3. Reflect with Honesty: Be truthful with yourself about your challenges and victories. Self-awareness grows when you approach reflection with an open, objective, and non-judgmental mindset.
A Personal Testimonial
I started this practice myself many years ago, and the changes have been profound. Initially, it felt insignificant to pause for five minutes in my busy schedule. But over time, I noticed I was feeling a sense of clarity that I hadn’t experienced before. Instead of reacting to every trigger in my environment, I was able to pick my battles and do meaningful work effortlessly.
In personal growth, small acts can lead to big leaps. So don’t dismiss the power of a 5minute check-in without giving it an honest try. Start today. Five minutes might just change your life.
