The 5-Minute Reset That Saved My Evenings (And Might Save Yours)

“I Don’t Have Time to Meditate.” Try This Instead.

I used to believe meditation wouldn’t work for me. My mind was too loud. My emotions too reactive. Silence felt impossible. What changed everything wasn’t a long retreat or a perfect practice.

It was five minutes.

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The 5-Minute Shift That Changes Everything

For years, I didn’t resist meditation because I was too busy.

I resisted because I didn’t believe sitting in silence could help anyone, and definitely not me.

My mind was restless. I was often angry. And depression had me so stuck that even the idea of trying felt out of reach.

But anxiety and anger have a way of wearing you down. Eventually, I reached a point where I needed something, anything, that might bring relief.

That’s when I tried meditation.

But when the guided meditations told me to “picture a peaceful beach,” all I saw was black.

I didn’t know then that I had aphantasia — the inability to form mental images.

I just thought I was doing it wrong.

So I almost gave up.

The Shift Was Simpler Than I Expected

When I finally stopped trying to see what wasn’t there and started following my breath instead, something changed.

Not dramatically.
Not magically.
But steadily.

My thoughts softened.
My reactions slowed.
My anger, which once used to flare with little cause, began to loosen its grip.

Meditation didn’t transform me overnight.

But it gave me something I hadn’t had before:

A pause between feeling and reacting.

The Night I Realized It Was Working

There was one evening that made it undeniable.

Dinner needed to be made.
My son had a baseball game.
The day had already stretched me thin.

I could feel irritation rising. The familiar tightening in my chest, the edge creeping into my words. The version of me that used to snap before thinking was right there.

In the past, I would have pushed through.
And someone I loved would have absorbed the impact.

But this time, I paused.

Not for 30 minutes.
Not for an elaborate ritual.

Just five minutes.

I closed the door, sat down, and followed my breath.

And when I came back, nothing outside had changed.

But I had.

That conversation went differently.
That evening felt different.
I felt present instead of defensive.

That’s when I knew meditation wasn’t about sitting still.

It was about learning to interrupt myself.

The 5-Minute Reset

If you’ve ever thought:

• My mind is too loud.

• I can’t sit still.

• I can’t visualize.

• I get overwhelmed too quickly.

I know that voice well. Next time try a 5-minute reset. Not with perfection. Not with silence, just five minutes.

Step 1: Stop

Physically pause. Sit somewhere stable.

Step 2: Notice

Where is your body tight? Jaw? Shoulders? Hands?

No fixing. Just awareness.

Step 3: Breathe

Inhale slowly for 4.
Exhale slowly for 6.

Longer exhales signal safety to your nervous system.

Step 4: Choose One Sentence

“I respond with patience.”
“I am steady.”
“I choose calm.”
“I am enough.”

Let it land.

Step 5: Re-enter

Open your eyes. Return to your life.

That’s it.

For the Mind That Thinks It “Can’t Meditate”

Meditation isn’t about visualizing golden light.

It’s not about having no thoughts.

It’s not about becoming a different person.

It’s about attention.

Returning to your breath again and again is the practice.Every time you return, you are strengthening your ability to respond instead of react.

That five-minute pause?
It rewires something.

Slowly. Quietly. Powerfully.

Try This 60-Second Reset

Right now.

Inhale… 2… 3… 4…
Hold… 2…
Exhale… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6…

Again.

If your mind wanders, that’s okay. Just return to the breath.

Notice the difference, even subtle shifts count.

Why This Matters

I didn’t meditate to become “good at meditation.”

I meditated because I didn’t like who I was becoming when I reacted without awareness.

Five minutes won’t solve everything.

But it might change how you show up in one moment.

And one moment can change an evening.
A conversation.
A relationship.
A pattern.

Sometimes, that’s where healing begins.

What to do Next

If you’ve ever felt like meditation wasn’t built for your brain — especially if you struggle with visualization, restlessness, or emotional overwhelm — I wrote Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed for you.

It’s not about doing meditation “right.”

It’s about finding the doorway that works for you.

Living is Easy With Eyes Closed