Giving yourself a high-five in the mirror can seem slightly cringe-worthy but it can go a long way in adding some positive energy to your day. Mel Robbins, a best-selling author, and motivational speaker recently launched a book called The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life With One Small Habit which emphasizes the importance of high-fiving your reflection in the morning every day. Wondering what this will accomplish? A surge in confidence and elimination of negative thoughts. This may sound a little farfetched but wait, there’s some real scientific explanation at play here. Studies have shown that your mood in the morning can affect productivity levels for the next four hours. Beating yourself up in the morning trains your brain into believing that you really aren’t doing any good and consequentially, you will end up looking for other reasons to confirm this.
Studies have shown that high-fives can help boost motivation and decrease stress hormones (cortisol). They give you a hit of dopamine because they serve as positive reinforcements. Your subconscious may not know the difference between a high-five from yourself or someone else therefore this can go a long way in reprogramming your brain to think positively of yourself and your day in general.
The benefits of high-fiving yourself
• The physical action of high-fives is associated with encouragement, motivation, and enthusiasm. So, when you incorporate this habit, your brain will automatically reprogram itself with these qualities and boost your mood.
• If you’re struggling with validation and constantly feel the need to look for it outside yourself (think social media), this might be a good practice as it is a way of showing yourself some support and love.
At first, you may feel a little hesitant to try this practice. This could be because you have spent a majority of your years being critical about yourself which may lead to you believing that you’re not worthy of love. Another reason could be that you are too much of a perfectionist. Always chasing the next thing may not be the best for your mental health as it can lead you to believe that you deserve to be celebrated only after you achieve the next milestone.