Author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins offers an abundance of straightforward, transformative advice such as this in her book “The 5 Second Rule.” The titular rule is as follows: Whenever you feel inspired to act on a task, count backward from five, then act. Robbins argues that counting distracts our brains from letting anxiety take over, thereby making it easier to accomplish the goal at hand. Robbins has long been a proponent of practicing and cultivating courage, despite our propensity to focus on the what-ifs. This excerpt reminds us that we can’t always please everyone; therefore, we shouldn’t allow our paths forward to be hindered by what people think of us. We’re the only ones who can truly advocate for ourselves, and we owe it to ourselves to do so.
