Monday, 9/23/24: Talking about lists of things that make you happy

Happy Monday!

It’s a new week, which means it’s time for your next Monday motivation newsletter.

Read on below for some steps to a happier Monday and some positive thoughts to get your week started.

Three Steps to a Happier Monday

Each newsletter starts with three prompts to inspire gratitude and simple intention setting. Take a moment and jot down answers to these three questions. To give an example, I share my answers below.  

Step 1: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend? 

Step 2: What is one thing I can be excited about today?

Step 3: What is my intention for this week? 

GRATITUDE: From my weekend, I am thankful for time with Matt, time to relax and starting a new book! 

TODAY: Today, I’m most excited to test out my new Monday routine.

INTENTION: My intention this week is to write down three things going well at the end of each day.

Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂

Meaningful Musings: What Makes You Happy?

I recently read the book You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets by Jodi Wellman. 

The book caught my attention when it was advertised in one of Adam Grant’s reading roundups, where he described it as “a breath of fresh air from positive psychology—a surprisingly fun and fruitful read about making the most of our scarce time.” And I have to agree… the book was surprisingly fun to read, even though it dealt with the more serious topic of mortality. 

In a way, the message of the book felt like a kindred spirit to this newsletter. The book opens by having you calculate how many Monday’s you have left, with the argument that when you see your Mondays as finite, your perspective changes. You’re les likely to see Mondays as just another day you have to get through and rather think about what you could add into your day today to make it just a little more enjoyable. LOVE that message!!

While all the Monday messaging definitely resonated with me, there was another exercise that I really loved. Wellman points out this weird truth:“Most of us are out of touch with what makes us happy… woefully ignorant about the things that light the flames in our furnaces. It’s hard not to live fully if we’re not cognizant of what makes a fabulously full life for ourselves, isn’t it?”  

Knowing what we like and what makes us happy seems like it should be straightforward, right? However, I feel like it is too easy to focus on what we think we “should” like or absorb what others around us are doing. It’s not surprising that we draw a blank when someone asks us, “what do you like to do?” 

It makes me think about my first year post-college, when I had just moved to Chicago. I remember waking up one Saturday morning with the weekend stretching out endlessly in front of me. No plans, no obligations, no commitments. I realized that I could do anything I wanted to do… and while that was a bit scary, it was also exciting! For most of my life until that point, I had definitely made decisions based on my preferences, but I’d also “drifted,” taking cues from those around me. 

But now, with an open weekend ahead of me and no one around to tell me what I should do, I had to decide how I wanted to fill the time. It was tough – and uncomfortable – at times, but I credit that experience with getting back into reading (for fun), learning I liked to cook – and eventually – even starting this newsletter!

So, I love that the author includes this “power of knowing what you happy” exercise in her book.

The author poses a lot of different questions to get you thinking about what you like, with the goal of ending with a list of specific things that make you feel happy – and ultimately, alive. 

It was a fun – and thought provoking – exercise… here is what I ended up with!: 

Things that make me happy:

• Walking outside and talking with Matt
• Running along Lake Michigan in the early morning 
• “Waking up the house” in the morning, which is when I’m the first one up and walk around turning on lights, pouring my cup of coffee, lighting a candle and just relishing in the quietness
• Moving in sync with others during a workout class
• Looking through old photos and videos and reminiscing. 
• Running errands from one place to the next with my mom
• Getting my hair blown out (the ultimate treat!!)
• Lighting a new candle, especially a seasonal candle   
• Catching up with friends over a long dinner 
• Buying books at a bookstore that I might read
• Looking at any body of water while drinking coffee 
• Taking notes while I read a captivating nonfiction book
• Wearing a new outfit for the first time 
• The ‘first days’ of each season… the first fall day, first time seeing holiday decorations, first spring day and first warm-weather Saturday 
• Turning back the covers at night and climbing into bed with a good book 
• Trying a new recipe from a cookbook 
• Running up to my mom or dad in the airport 
• Writing this newsletter at a busy coffee shop or at a restaurant’s bar with a glass of wine 

Wellman goes on to write in the book, “these happy things will likely not happen to you; you need to plan to experience them.” And she’s right! Step 1 is knowing what makes you happen and then Step 2 is figuring out how to fit them into your week. 

For example: when I was outlining this newsletter, I referenced the list above of ‘things that make me happy’ and remembered that yes, I love to write my newsletter in a coffee shop or at a restaurant. Remembering that prompted me to adjust my Sunday plans – instead of writing at my desk, I would venture out! And I’m so glad I did. 🙂 

As Wellman writes, “one small pleasure at a time is often all it takes to elevate your life experience” – YES! But we first must know what will bring us joy so we can plan it into our days.

So, if you are looking for a fun activity this Monday, ask yourself: what activities do you love to do? What brings you joy? What lights you up inside? 

Make your list… and then make a plan for adding something from your list into your week 🙂

Picture of the Week

That’s all for today! I hope you found something in today’s newsletter that sparked motivation, made you smile or inspired a positive Monday thought. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small… a fulfilling week starts with just one fulfilling day. You’ve got this! 

Let’s make it a great Monday!
Megan