High 5 Yourself!
A Book Club Recommendation
We’ve just finished reading The High 5 Habit by Mel Robbins in our book club and quite frankly it’s an awesome read.
Mel is proposing that, first thing in the morning, before you’re even dressed that you look in the mirror and give yourself a high five. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and so does she. She covers it all and then some in this book, and I cannot think of a better book to complement our culture at Curves and what we do here.
Mel’s style is easy to read, she weaves a story through all her advice, and adds in the science to support what she’s saying.
The fact is, you probably know that high fives motivate but when do you ever cheer for yourself? Also, what are you waiting for, what will it take to get you to cheer for yourself? And do you hold others to that standard, or do you cheer others literally for tying their own shoelaces?
“You have no idea how much easier things could be if you stopped being so hard on yourself.”
The idea of high five is so simple it borders on ridiculous – how can it make a difference? Then there’s the fact that, well, it feels ridiculous - what am I doing? In summary a simple high five communicates that you are OK right now. You don’t need to be anything or do anything to gain acceptance from yourself. That high five validates where you are right now.
Getting into the High 5 Habit together! Anne Hopkinson and Coach Sall share their high 5 moment at the gym (the smiles are genuine, it just works like that!)
That high five also says “I’ve got you”, it says “I believe in you”. When you look yourself in the eye and raise your hand to your reflection you are seen, you are affirmed, you are being praised and recognised for just being you.
“When you celebrate YOURSELF, it helps you cheer for others.”
What I love most about this concept is its simplicity. You don’t need to know anything or understand anything to give this a go. Mel encourages us to jump right in in the first chapter, and while we are getting over our awkwardness and beginning to feel the benefits, she explains how it all works.
This book is not about you being broken or needing to be fixed, it’s about you being stuck. It’s about adjusting your filter and seeing the world (and yourself) through different eyes. She’s talking about “flipping” thought patterns that simply don’t serve us and giving us a gentle but stern talking to about setting ourselves deadlines, getting out of our own way and being true to ourselves to achieve our dreams. In 223 easy to read pages she’s coaching us to a high five life.
There’s something for everyone in this book and she covers people-pleasing, always saying sorry (even when you have nothing to apologise for), she talks about screwing things up and how to change your mindset. She dips into affirmations, why motivation is garbage (and she’s right 😜) and how to harness your Reticular Activating System to make your life easier (honestly, some of this was like my own words coming at me!). She even sets you a mission of spotting hearts to help you understand your own power to see the world, and yourself differently.
If you’re going to pick up a book (or listen to one) this summer, I highly recommend it be this one – you have no idea just what you could achieve through this simple habit.
If you want to know more then watch the Book & Bones; Motivational Book Club videos that go with this book.
It’s like a try before you buy, or if you are not much of reader then you can just enjoy some excerpts with me.