October 13, 2021 – The Thirty-Sixth Official Friday Night BeerBlog

Do you even know who Mel Robbins is, let alone why she should be on my podcast? Probably not. Here’s the lowdown. She is the author of the New York Times Best Seller The 5 Second Rule, along with some other books, including her New York Times Best Seller The High 5 Habit which came out last week.

She’s been EVERYWHERE the last couple of weeks. She held a free two day deal online. She has made the podcast media tour. Shit, she’s even reading her book, chapter by chapter on Instagram live. So why do I want her on The New Old You and WHY would she ever agree to do it? And if you’ve wondered why everyone, everywhere is high fiving each other right now, well, aforementioned book.

What’s In A High Five?

What is the magic ingredient in a high five and WHY didn’t I think about writing a book about them? High fives makes you feel better. It’s science. Giving them, even to yourself, introduces dopamine into your body. Dopamine is a feel-good chemical that increases mood and motivation. Mel is all about giving yourself a high five to signal to yourself that you are doing a great job. You got up. High Five. You’re getting dressed. High Five. The high fives keep you motivated to do more and more. And it’s not only that, Mel says you get a High Five for just being. That’s your first one. God don’t make no mistakes. So High Five to him or her.

Working at home all day, every day, with Mike, while good some days, is hard a lot of the other days. And both of us sometimes feel like we are banging our heads against the wall. The work environment is completely different. The demands are different. The responsibilities are different. And it’s easy to get down on yourself and your performance. The days run together and you can’t remember why you’re doing this to begin with.

Enter the High Five. I get two things every day from Mike. (And before I go on, get your head out of the gutter!) I get a kiss and a high five. A kiss to say good morning, I love you. A High Five to say, “Whatever shit you’ve got going on, you’re doing a great job.”

So Why Mel?

Okay, so you get the premise. Why do I need Mel on the podcast to talk about it? Why couldn’t I just paraphrase and deliver the message myself? Have you heard Mel talk? Well, I have. She’s in her early 50s, like me, and has kids in their twenties, like me. There is just something about how she delivers the message from her own experience. She speaks of staring at herself in the mirror and trying to get motivated, disgusted at what she sees, with one boob hanging lower, but then she suddenly giving her mirror image a high five. That high five was enough to get herself dressed.

Something about that message spoke to me. How many times have I just been totally disgusted with myself and the fact that I can’t leave the house for a jog without the knowledge that I will be returning with pee pee pants. Enter the High Five to just do it anyway, that’s what washers are for.

We’re both of a certain age, like my audience, and we’re trying to figure out what in the hell is going on mentally and physically with us. The only people that get us are each other. But not only that, as I’ve been working with this demographic I have been surprised at the amount of self-loathing, sadness, and loneliness that I’ve seen and read in chat groups. I need Mel to come on and help me talk to these women, shake them by the shoulders and tell them how loved they are.

It’s About The Children

The other thing that Mel has talks about in length surround a text string that she had with her daughter who is out in California at school. I’ll condense, but her daughter feels not so great about herself because she doesn’t feel as pretty or accomplished as those around her. Mel explains to her what High Fives are for – not for reward, but for understanding, and her daughter comes to realize that you don’t have to EARN a High Five, you get one for just being you, wherever you are in life.

There is a lot of angst, worry, and depression in our kids who are in college or beginning their careers. You can watch the news and see the uptick in suicides. I think that all of us that have children this age are experiencing responsibilities that our parents did not. Mental health is a real thing and I would love to talk to Mel about strategies to prepare and teach our kids that they are amazing individuals just for being themselves and that nothing, no matter how great, can ever replace them.

I’m Sorry In Advance

I have to apologize to Mel in advance for the “Rat on a Cheeto” approach I may have in trying to get her on the show. I’m a podcast nobody. I just don’t think an email or a message via instagram is going to do the trick. So I’m employing the flares and trying to find the third door. Hence this post. Hence me tagging her in every post on my instagram. What a pain in the ass this 50 something can be. Just ask Mike. But I can make it stop Mel. Send me a message, say YES, and I’ll put both of us out of our misery.

LLM

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