Stress affects every one of us, seemingly more-so every year. One popular solution - personal development courses - can be truly life changing. After two or three days of intensive learning, we begin to feel deeply relaxed, joyous, at peace with the world. Then, more often than not we are asked to commit an hour or two a day to meditation, yoga, tai chi, prayer, journal writing or whatever. No problem, we say. I deserve to feel this good all the time. I'll just get up an hour earlier every day...

Within 24 hours of returning home, the harsh reality of life smacks us right between the eyes. We truly and often desperately want to keep up the practice, but family, business and life commitments simply demand most of our time. Usually after a day or a week, we quit. This sad end result can be just one more blow to our self esteem, rather than the anticipated path to enlightenment (or at least reduced pain). Sound familiar?

I've been instructing tai chi, which is often called a moving meditation, for over two decades. For most of that time, I asked my students to practice a long and complex series of moves for an hour a day. Most didn't do it. Nor did my assistant instructors. Then one day I came to realize with unexpected surprise - neither did I…

Why not? Well, I had too many demands on my time. Too many obligations. My life is huge! Just like yours. But I need the benefits, just like you do.

So do we just forget about our personal development for a few years (or decades?), and receive zero benefits? Do we simply tolerate the stress and pain? No we can make small, manageable goals.

The result? A few minutes before going to work, before interacting with the family, or before sleep can significantly improve your quality of life. And then, after a period of regular practice you may begin to make decisions, even lifestyle decisions that will bring more balance into your life.

I firmly believe that a few minutes a day is infinitely superior to no minutes a day, and that even just a small amount of this quality time will increase your productivity and performance at work, improve health in all ways and reduce your stress levels.

It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Five minutes a day is the single step needed to begin a journey toward wellness.