From manic to magical: ‘Funday Monday’

Dread Mondays? Need to modify your mindset? I can relate. With that conundrum in mind, I arrived at an idea to transition from weekends into the work week by experimenting with something I call Funday Monday. Yes, you heard right. For me, weekends equate to “hustle” and “R&R.” On Saturdays, I cram as much to-dos as I can into the day. Although I realize that may not work for everyone, I like knowing that Sundays represent rest, recreation, reconnection and reset. And, although Mondays mean “day job,” I’ve started sprinkling—throughout—a bit of weekend fun. This might look like an early morning trek through the mountains or include a mid-day walk to McDonald’s for an iced mocha; or maybe a mani-pedi and/or movie marathon to round out the day. You might choose to meditate, meet a friend, schedule a massage or crank up your favorite music. With just a tiny amount of imagination, you can transform Mondays from manic to magical.

How do you feel about Mondays?

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Finding hope in the most unlikely places

 

On a Monday morning I drove to work as is my habit, my mind preoccupied with a litany of tasks I hoped to accomplish. In addition to eight hours on the job, I needed to pick up a couple prescriptions for an infection I’m battling, get to yoga to create a little breathing space and decide what color my painter will be painting my kitchen cabinets. Plus make room to practice my Spanish. Under my breath, I whispered prayers for close family and friends struggling with illness and grief, those undergoing surgery and others wrestling with financial and spiritual drought. When I pulled into my parking spot, my mind still flitting from thought to thought, a flowering branch caught my attention. Its peachy blossoms, the only blooms noticeable in my row of stalls, encouraged me with its new growth. A simple reminder—in the midst of shadows, hardships and yes, my friends, Monday mornings—that infused my spirit with restored hope.

What is something that renews your hope?

How to excel at this one life

Many self-help articles share a common theme on how to grow and excel at this one life: stop complaining. This doesn’t mean we can’t vent our frustrations, but how about a new approach? Rather than spew negativity to those around us, let’s try writing it down; i.e., spend a few minutes daily journaling our angst. Maybe your partner behaved inconsiderately or you forgot to fill up your gas tank for the week. Or perhaps the first work email of the day rubbed you the wrong way or your alarm went off much too early this morning (it can’t be Monday already, can it?) and your stomach is in knots—knowing that after an eight-hour day, a 2 ½-hour HOA board meeting follows. Once you’ve written everything down, release these thoughts and mindfully replace them with thankfulness: It’s a new day. You’re breathing. Friday’s coming. Everything is temporary. Most on-point quote (by Heraclitus): There is nothing permanent except change. #truestory

Is your MO to complain or to be grateful?

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When you make a mistake: Adulting 101

This past week crushed my spirit. Happy doesn’t come close to my relief at bidding it adieu and ushering in better days: Saturday and Sunday. It seems I couldn’t do anything right—opened mouth, inserted foot; committed a faux pas (or three) at work and pulled out the comparison card once or twice and came up lacking each time. Good advice from my boss: We all are going to make mistakes, and stuff is going to happen. It’s how we respond and move forward that counts. Whether our individual path is fraught with detours or includes a few scenic routes thrown in, there are no guarantees as to what our journey will look like—which is no doubt a good thing. And life is not a competition, nor a race to the finish line. After all, everyone will reach it at one time or another. However, I do think ‘adulting’ deserves more credit than it gets, like an award. Especially on Mondays.

What’s your advice for adulting it?

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