I grew up in the 1960s and 70s. Congratulating someone by giving them five, was invented and evolving. I like what I call Texas Five, holding out your fist so another person could hit on the top with their fist, then I would do the same in return.
I’ve always been liberal in my giving of Texas five. I was so pleased when my daughter started teaching her two year old son how to do it. They call it Up Down, for the motion the fist makes. He gets excited every time he does it.
It’s been only in the last year that I’ve started giving Texas five to myself. I do it when congratulations are in order, just as if I was doing it for someone else. An example is after my morning workout routine. I push myself to stay in shape. As I wrote in My da Vinci Code post, “success lies in the relentless execution of the basics.” That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Giving Texas five each time I finish, helps keep my momentum going.
I started learning the value of positive self-talk when I read The Power of Positive Thinking in the summer of 1983. My mind doesn’t always perform the way I would like. However, it usually does what it’s been trained to expect.
I expect to be happy and do well. Therefore, my mind picks up on those things and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Giving myself Texas five from time to time gives that process a boost.
The Oakridge Boys in their song Everyday said, “A kind word never goes unheard, but too often goes unsaid.” I expect to say them in words and deeds. Therefore, I’ll continue being liberal with my congratulations, even with myself. Nothing more complicated than perception.
May you have enough today, one moment at a time.
Let your vagus nerve help.
