I exercise daily, but not all exercises are physical. Some are mental and emotional. We only focus on the physical so much because it is visible to the naked eye. There are several types of exercises that are equally beneficial to our health that we can do quickly each day.

Every morning, I also have a 30-minute space in my life called First Period, where I give the first 30 minutes of my day to myself. I’ve found that when I give to myself first, it allows me to serve others at a higher level throughout the day. Normally, we give ourselves our lowest energy at the end of the day, therefore our evening workouts, hobbies, and other activities aren’t as fruitful as they could be if we did them earlier in the day.

Whether you adopt First Period or not, as you design your Perfect Work Week on page 42 of The 2014 New Year Guide, here are some 5-minute daily exercises that I think will change your day, and thus your life.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

1. Meditate

I’m still learning how to meditate. I haven’t had any formal training. So for the moment, I sit still in a chair with my back straight and I seek to clear my mind. I allow thoughts to pass without judgement. I relax my muscles and I focus on my breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Simply doing this for 5 minutes reduces my sense of stress and helps me begin my day with a fresh new mind.

2. Write in a gratitude journal

For the past two and half years I’ve been keeping a daily gratitude journal. I call it my Thank Account and every day I document Millionaire Moments in it. Since I’ve started, I’ve gone through 4 pocket-sized Moleskin journals and have documented over 10,000 moments of gratitude. This has been a true source of wealth for me. I shared my philosophy on gratitude in this video, but in short, I write down things that happened to me or for me that didn’t have to happen. For instance, I’ll write down that the weather is warm and beautiful. My wife made me breakfast. The train showed up just as I arrived. Lunch tasted great. I got a new client. I had the discipline and motivation to exercise. My mom called to check in on me. As I write things down, I’m reminded how all things work together for good, that the Universe is not against me, how much abundance and other sources of wealth I have, and how little control I have over what happens in my life. What I do have control over is what I choose to notice.

3. Read, watch, or listen to something inspirational

Lately, my wife and I have been reading The Miracle Minute by Mary Morrissey and reflecting on the page of text together. I’ve also read The Perfect Power Within You 70 Day Meditation Program by Jack Addington three times. I have an amazing playlist that I listen to during my workout that includes songs like Wake Me Up by Avicii, Closer by Goapele, Stronger by Kanye West, Sky Is The Limit by Notorious B.I.G., and Live Your Life by T.I., and Lose Yourself by Eminem. Occasionally I’ll watch a YouTube video by someone like Eric Thomas. Sometime I’ll browse my Facebook newsfeed for an inspiration story or article that I think will motivate me. Or I’ll read some scripture from any spiritual text. This starts my day off on a high note. I’ve found that the easiest way to be inspired is to be an inspiration to others, so I start my day with inspiration to continue that cycle.

4. Write a thank you card, text, or email

I haven’t gotten into writing thank you cards daily yet, but I do write them often. Sometimes when I don’t feel like writing, I’ll just make a thank you call instead. Both are powerful. This practice strengthens relationships personally and professionally. You can see how this practice has grown my business here. For a pack of cards and postage, you’re paying, at most, $1 per card, but the value of that gift to whoever you send it to is priceless. You’ll find that when you visit their home or office that it is up on a bookshelf somewhere because nobody does this anymore. Everyone sends e-cards or cards with pre-written text and the sender’s signature. In the card tell them why you are sending it to them. This exercises expands your gratitude for other people in this interdependent world and reinforces the positive behavior by showing someone that you noticed and appreciate them whether they do anything else for you ever again (which usually isn’t the case).

5. Envision your day before it begins

Marianne Williamson, author of A Course In Miracles, has a great daily prayer that asks God “Where would You have me go? What would You have me do? What would You have me say, and to whom?” Taking 5 minutes to reflect on these questions and listen is a powerful way to begin envisioning your day. Even though you will be guided (and are always guided by a higher force), once you ask the questions, you can start to translate what you envision onto paper using the weekly time grid on page 42 of The 2014 New Year Guide. Rather than allowing your day to happen to you, you can happen to it by making intentional choices in the morning about how you are going to spend your time. On your time grid you can allocate time to specific people, places, and projects and then from there do your best to live out the day you imagined.

I believe in the Creator in you to create a life worth living.

Change your day. Change your life.

Wishing you more happy hours,

Jullien Gordon

Comment Below & Inspire Others:

I’m curious to know…

Do you have a 5-minute ritual that we can add to the list?

Let me know in the comments section and inspire others with your answer.