So, I kept hearing about this Mel Reid lady. You know, the one with the countdown thing. 5-4-3-2-1, go. Seemed kinda simple, maybe even a bit silly, if I’m being honest.
But here’s the thing, I was stuck. Not like, big life crisis stuck, but stuck in the everyday kinda way. Getting out of bed when the alarm went off? Nightmare. Starting that annoying task I’d been putting off? Ugh, forget it. Just lots of thinking about doing stuff, not much actual doing.
Trying the Countdown Thing
I remember the first time I really tried it. The alarm went off. It was dark, cozy. My brain immediately started with the excuses: “Just five more minutes,” “You’re tired,” “It doesn’t matter.” All that usual noise.
Then I remembered her voice, kinda yelling in my head from some video I watched. “5-4-3-2-1.”
So, lying there, I literally whispered it. “5… 4… 3… 2… 1.” And then, before my brain could argue, I threw the covers off and put my feet on the floor. Just like that. It felt weird. Forced. Definitely not natural.
Did it feel good?
Not really, not in that moment. It just felt… abrupt. But the thing is, I was up. Standing. Not negotiating with myself anymore.
Making it a Habit (Sort Of)
I started trying it on other things.
- That email I didn’t want to send? 5-4-3-2-1, open laptop, start typing.
- Putting the dishes away instead of leaving them ‘to soak’? 5-4-3-2-1, grab sponge.
- Making that phone call I was dreading? 5-4-3-2-1, dial the number.
It wasn’t magic. Sometimes I’d count down and still just sit there. Sometimes I’d forget to even try. It’s not like a switch flipped and suddenly I was super productive Man.
But it gave me a tool. A way to cut through the mental garbage. That moment of hesitation, that’s where the excuses live. The countdown became a way to just blast past that moment.
What Happened?
Well, slowly, things started moving a bit more. Less time wasted arguing with myself. More… doing. Small stuff, mostly. But those small bits of ‘doing’ started adding up.
It’s kinda funny, really. Such a basic idea. But I guess sometimes you just need a simple trick to push yourself into action. It’s not about feeling motivated. It’s about moving your butt whether you feel like it or not. That’s what I got from trying out that Mel Reid stuff. Just move.
