Not a 5-Minute Challenge, Just an Invitation to Pause
Remember to reconnect with your self
January was hard for our family.
On the heels of what had been one of the most memorable vacations, we found ourselves adrift in hospital waiting rooms, suspended in that space between anguish and hope, searching for answers that didn’t come.
As I learned to sit with discomfort, feeling stretched thin in ways I never knew possible, I looked around me.
Hundreds of drooping shoulders, lit screens casting their blue glow on detached faces … each person immersed in their own protective bubble.
An escape.
A need to accomplish something amidst the undeniable reality of being able to do nothing.
Sending emails, playing games, responding to texts.
Another check marked against another box.
And here I sat, in this liminal space, painting tokens of appreciation and gratitude for those who called this “just another day at work.”
Immersing myself in a different kind of doing. But, in retrospect, I wasn’t just painting. I was anchoring. And that’s what I want to share with you today.
In some recent conversations on Substack, like this one, I’ve realized how important it is for me to be present.
We fill every quiet moment with music, podcasts, doomscrolling.
Sitting in silence feels wrong, unproductive, wasteful.
But I am unlearning.
Nowadays, I go for an analogous walk. No devices.
I notice my breath, I feel the crispness in the air, I hear the birds chirp.
It’s weird. It’s awkward. It’s deeply uncomfortable to hear it all, to feel it all.
It’s downright terrifying to be with myself.
And yet, it feels like I am finally floating instead of drowning.
Presence.
Not productivity. Not progress.
Just presence.
And, in keeping with, my mission to amplify the happiness quotient in the world, I thought it might be worth doing a small experiment in this safe space with my safe people: You.
I originally thought about this as a “challenge” with the goal of creating little tokens to give away.
But as I sat with it, I realized that felt like too much of an ask. Especially for those of you who don’t see yourselves as “creative.”
It started to feel like I was asking you for an outcome, but what I really wanted was for us to have this shared experience.
So, I’m reframing it.
This isn’t a challenge.
It’s an invitation to journey together.
No-Phone, Just Art: A Five-Minute Portal to Presence.
It’s not about making something.
It’s about how the process makes you feel.
It’s about being present in that moment with your visceral responses— noticing what sparks joy, what makes you uncomfortable, what causes resistance.
There is no right or wrong.
Who is to say anything about your life experiences that culminated into whatever you create in this one moment?
There are no metrics.
No achievement certificates.
No “perfect” outcome waiting at the end.
This isn’t about proving whether or not you’re creative.
It’s simply an opportunity to create— to let your heart lead the way, and let your hands follow.
I understand the need for structure … to be told “Here’s what to do.”
Often, I’ve heard in my workshops at the outset that people need clear instructions, so they can figure out if they’re “doing it right.”
And I’ve always answered with: “What if, instead of being led by instruction, you let yourself be led by curiosity? By feeling?”
It is what I am asking you to try next week.
No-Phone, Just Art: How Will It Work?
On Monday, February 10, we’ll begin. Just a short post from me each day—a gentle nudge, a simple prompt.
Please note I am calling them “prompts” for lack of an alternative, universally-understood word. These prompts aren’t assignments—they’re invitations to notice, to play, to pause.
I’ll also be doing a 5-minute live demo for those who would like to see an example of how to use this invitation for creative expression.1 This video should not be viewed as instruction but as companionship, so you can see how I explore these moments of creative presence, and get ideas on how you may explore yours.
None of this is mandatory or instructional. Feel free to follow along, or let your heart take you in a completely different direction.
This isn’t meant to create overwhelm.
It’s an opportunity to welcome ease into your day—just five minutes of presence in a non-filled space. A space in which we “instinctively” reach out for our phones. But is it instinct? Or is it training?
Our brains can be rewired.
We just have to start.
And the truth is, that after the month we’ve had, I need this 5-minute pause as much as — probably more than — you do. These small moments of creative presence have become my daily anchors, and I'd love to discover what they might become for you.
I'm practicing alongside you — choosing presence over productivity, curiosity over certainty, and small pauses amidst constant overwhelm.
Will you join me?
Leave a comment if you’re in—I’d love to know.
And if you know someone who could use a little pause, a little play, a little presence, share this with them. Sometimes the simplest invitations ripple the farthest.
With gratitude,
Mansi.
Each day, I’ll do a quick live video where I explore the daily prompt in real time. If you can’t join live, don’t worry—I’ll include the replay link in that day’s post so you can watch it whenever it feels right for you. There’s no need to prep or participate—just watch if it feels helpful, or skip it if you prefer to dive straight into your own practice. Consider downloading the Substack app over the weekend to catch the live demos easily.
I’m in. It’ll be a good 5 minutes. Thanks.
Thank you for the invitation! I’m in. Sounds like a good way to begin our move to another state. We will be packing, etc over the next two weeks, so this will help to ground me in the moment. I’m looking forward to it!