The simple rule that stops setbacks ruining your day
8 Feb 2026 · 1 min
1:07
When something bad happens, set a five-minute timer and let yourself fully feel it. Cry, complain, vent. When time's up, say
When something bad happens, set a five-minute timer and let yourself fully feel it. Cry, complain, vent. When time's up, say
The five minute rule. And the five minute rule said that when something goes wrong, right, you don't. You don't. You know, you get rejected, you fail, you know, someone's rude to you, whatever. Most people, he said, will dwell on that thing for long, unhealthy periods of time. And he said you set your timer on your phone for literally five minutes, and you give yourself five minutes to fully express and experience the worst, most painful emotions that are coming up. He goes, amplify them. Bitch, moan, cry, complain. Like, throw your hands and go, this isn't fair. I don't deserve it. Like, whatever you got to do. Then when the timer goes off, you say three very liberating words. Can't change it. It's a simple acknowledgment. The reality is, I can't change what happened five minutes ago. So now I have a choice. Do I continue to be upset about it and stew over it and wish it didn't happen? Or. The second choice is you accept reality exactly as it and then choose to just be at peace with the things that you can't change.
