Lewis Howes

You know, you look exhausted. And then as soon as you have a negative thought or a self-criticism, it's sort of like lint in a dryer. Once you start collecting it, it just keeps on collecting. So now I'm thinking not about how horrible I look or how tired I look. Now I start thinking about all the stuff I need to do.

You know, you look exhausted. And then as soon as you have a negative thought or a self-criticism, it's sort of like lint in a dryer. Once you start collecting it, it just keeps on collecting. So now I'm thinking not about how horrible I look or how tired I look. Now I start thinking about all the stuff I need to do.

I start going, oh my gosh, I got up a little too late and I've got a Zoom call in eight minutes. I don't even have a bra on yet. The dog needs to be walked. And I could feel my energy.

I start going, oh my gosh, I got up a little too late and I've got a Zoom call in eight minutes. I don't even have a bra on yet. The dog needs to be walked. And I could feel my energy.

going down like i just felt the weight of the world on my shoulders overwhelmed uncertain you know i it doesn't even matter what was going on in my life at that time because i think it's a universal feeling to feel overwhelmed by your life at times yes and so here i am a motivational speaker

going down like i just felt the weight of the world on my shoulders overwhelmed uncertain you know i it doesn't even matter what was going on in my life at that time because i think it's a universal feeling to feel overwhelmed by your life at times yes and so here i am a motivational speaker

Unmotivated, uncaffeinated, no brawn, standing there in my underwear with my dog at my feet. I don't know what came over me. But as cheesy as it sounds, I just raised my hand and gave the tired, haggard woman in the mirror a high five. And it didn't change my life like right then and there. But something shifted. Like I felt a little lighter. I felt like I wasn't alone.

Unmotivated, uncaffeinated, no brawn, standing there in my underwear with my dog at my feet. I don't know what came over me. But as cheesy as it sounds, I just raised my hand and gave the tired, haggard woman in the mirror a high five. And it didn't change my life like right then and there. But something shifted. Like I felt a little lighter. I felt like I wasn't alone.

I felt like, okay, you know, this moment in your life is hard, but you can do this, Mel. And I went on with my day. So the second day, I woke up. And this is when things started to really kind of churn in my mind. The first thing that I noticed was this. So I wake up, Lewis, and I make my bed. And I realized I was looking forward to that moment in the mirror where I was going to see myself.

I felt like, okay, you know, this moment in your life is hard, but you can do this, Mel. And I went on with my day. So the second day, I woke up. And this is when things started to really kind of churn in my mind. The first thing that I noticed was this. So I wake up, Lewis, and I make my bed. And I realized I was looking forward to that moment in the mirror where I was going to see myself.

Now, look, I'm 52 years old. I will probably have a hot flash during the middle of this interview. I'm a lot older than you.

Now, look, I'm 52 years old. I will probably have a hot flash during the middle of this interview. I'm a lot older than you.

Oh, yeah. I had a really allergic reaction the last time we were together. Wow. But I have spent the first 45 years of my life either criticizing the woman in the mirror or ignoring her. And this was the first time that I could remember that I was actually looking forward to seeing myself. Sort of like, you know, when I was coming here today, you and I are very good friends.

Oh, yeah. I had a really allergic reaction the last time we were together. Wow. But I have spent the first 45 years of my life either criticizing the woman in the mirror or ignoring her. And this was the first time that I could remember that I was actually looking forward to seeing myself. Sort of like, you know, when I was coming here today, you and I are very good friends.

As I was walking in the building, I'm feeling excited to see you. And it wasn't like I was feeling excited to see myself. Like I'm not like, yeah, because I got a lot of crap going on in my life. But I felt a little bit like I'm about to see a friend. And so that second morning, I high-fived myself again. And again, I feel something shift.

As I was walking in the building, I'm feeling excited to see you. And it wasn't like I was feeling excited to see myself. Like I'm not like, yeah, because I got a lot of crap going on in my life. But I felt a little bit like I'm about to see a friend. And so that second morning, I high-fived myself again. And again, I feel something shift.

I feel just a little lightness in the mood, and I go on with my day. So the third morning, I do it again. And again, like lightness. And so I keep doing it, keep doing it. A couple weeks go by. And now I'm starting to feel a little bit of momentum. And I'm really enjoying it. I have no idea what the hell is going on.

I feel just a little lightness in the mood, and I go on with my day. So the third morning, I do it again. And again, like lightness. And so I keep doing it, keep doing it. A couple weeks go by. And now I'm starting to feel a little bit of momentum. And I'm really enjoying it. I have no idea what the hell is going on.

I haven't even done this in front of my husband, Chris, yet, because let's be honest. Standing in front of a mirror. High-fiving yourself. Yeah, like, come on, how pathetic does it get? You're like, it's really, you're like that bad? So I snap a photo of myself. I've got my retainer in. I got bedhead. Like, I'm not looking glamorous.

I haven't even done this in front of my husband, Chris, yet, because let's be honest. Standing in front of a mirror. High-fiving yourself. Yeah, like, come on, how pathetic does it get? You're like, it's really, you're like that bad? So I snap a photo of myself. I've got my retainer in. I got bedhead. Like, I'm not looking glamorous.