When faced with a hard chore, it's a shift in attitude from "can't" to a positive "can-do" with confidence and a non-complaining spirit that becomes contageous.
Halfway through a hot day of hauling hay you might tell yourself or your buddy to "c'mon, cow-boy up." and thereby keep your work and your attitude from going south.
Teenage son: dad I got my girlfriend pregnant, what do I do?
Father: cowboy up Peter. And by the way I am busy ( slams door in son's face)
By Lynde
Cowboy Up
Essentially another term for self-endowment of strength and moral, or to another. Essentially another term for a similar phrase like, "toughen up", or "stop your belly-aching and fight!", etc etc.
"I'm sure this is a word made by southerners. I'm not southern, but I like the definition of what it means. Reminds me of me. ^_^ "
-me
By Charo
Cowboy Up
The original meaning of "Cowboy Up" was to inform the next bullrider or bucking bronco rider at a rodeo to get ready to ride or "cowboy up". Now it means to stop being a pussy liberal snowflake with your safe spaces and whiny bullshit, grow up and be a man for once in your pathetic life.
Liberal snowflake type: Oh no! Trump won the election! I need to find a safe space to calm down and stop crying.
145-pound 5'11" Cletus, with Skoal in his lip and t-shirt sleeves rolled up, thumb in the front of his pants says ""c'mon ya'll....cowboy up! let's head on down to the country bar and pick us up some fat hefers!"