On Friday, May 9th, I had the chance to go to Mel Robbins' The Let Them Tour in Toronto at Meridian Hall. My friend Patricia Roberts gave me the ticket as a present, and I was really grateful. The tickets for the Toronto event sold out in just two minutes, which speaks volumes about the impact Robbins has made. Toronto is also where her largest podcast following is, so the energy in the room was electric.
I walked into the venue. The air was electric. People were stoked, even electrified with anticipation. The crowd was noticeably stoked—cheering, clapping, and expecting what was going to go down. I'm not one who usually takes part in that kind of energy, so I just sat quietly and absorbed it all around me. I was trying to listen diligently and take notes. It's now been nearly three months since that evening, and I finally feel ready to reflect and discuss what I recorded and what resonated with me the most.
A Message That Inspires Action
The event's underlying message was empowerment. Mel Robbins did not just offer motivation, but a guide towards change. One of the first notes I jotted down was this phrase: This is the year I succeed. I take back my power. That struck a chord immediately.
She urged us to make the thought personal:
This is the year I'll __________________________.
How would you fill in the blank?
Personally, I completed: This is the year I will be a happier person.
That simple fill-in-the-blank activity invites honest contemplation and brings clarity. It compels you to declare what you want and to own your path forward.
Vision and Action Must Align
Mel concentrated on the necessity of aligning your actions and vision. We typically know what we should do or wish to do, but there is a disparity between knowledge and action. She reminded us that knowing what to do and doing it are two different things. The battle is not in knowing what's necessary. It's making yourself take the actions.
This is where her now famous concept, the 5 Second Rule, came into play. You're one choice away from changing your life at any moment, according to Robbins. When you have the impulse to do something toward a goal, you must act within five seconds. Or your brain will talk you out of it. Don't think about it. Don't negotiate with yourself. Just do it.
Becoming the Person You Want to Be
Another key takeaway from the discussion was being your future self. Be who you will be. Become that person. The daily choices you are making are taking you towards or away from that person. Nothing changes until you make different choices. Change begins with you.
She also reminded us we have the time. We just need to prioritize it more. Even 30 minutes a day can achieve revolutionary change within a year. Those minutes add up. So, protect your time fiercely. Don't let it be spent on anything that doesn't make you who you want to be.
Let Go of What You Can’t Control
One of the most powerful messages of the evening was the idea Let Them, Let Me. Stop trying to control what you can't control. Instead, invest in what you can control: your attitude, your energy, your reaction, your time. Let people do what they're going to do. Let them.
Let them doubt you. Let them misunderstand you. Let them go. Let them underestimate you. You don't need their permission to live your life. What you need is your own permission. Let me decide. Let me grow. Let me take charge.
Are You Waiting for Yourself?
Robbins asked a question that shook many in the room: Are you waiting for you to show up? It made me pause. How often do we delay your dreams, thinking that some future version of yourself — braver, more qualified, more ready, will eventually take the reins?
But the truth is you're it. You’re the one you’ve been waiting for. Stop deferring your life to a hypothetical “someday.” Start showing up now. Change the script you've been reading to yourself. Play the role you've always acted.
Self-Love Starts with Self-Promise
Another deep lesson learned was regarding self-trust. Robbins discussed how keeping the agreements you make with yourself is one of the highest forms of self-love. When you constantly lie to yourself and break your word, you annihilate your own trust and faith. But when you keep your word, even on the small things, you rebuild your self-esteem.
You do not need to wait to be “ready.” You will never be ready in the way you think you should be. And that is okay. All you need is a moment of courage. A five-second moment of courage, to be exact.
Today Is the Beginning
Mel Robbins finished the evening on a note of hope. Today is the beginning. The greatest days of your life are still ahead of you. This thought lingered in the air as people stood to applaud and cheer. The atmosphere in the room was changed now. It wasn't hype. It was grounded in truth, in commitment, in action.
Change begins with a choice. One act today can have a ripple effect that transforms all. And if you've been waiting for permission to start, this is it.
So I leave you with this:
This is the year I’ll ______________________.
Fill it in.
And then take five seconds.
And begin.
Mel Robbins Books
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About
The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
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