Monday, 4/6/20: Talking about perspective, a makeup-free makeup product and an easy chicken recipe

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, a short story and a roundup of 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 a catch-up phone call with one of my best friends, being able to take a long walk on Saturday and time spent with my mom. 

TODAY: I am most excited about my run this morning. After a very rainy Sunday, I’m eager to be outside again. 

INTENTION: Warning: my intention is extremely cheesy this week. It’s my last week of being 25. In an effort to remind myself of how much happens in a year and distract myself from being sad that year 25 is over, each day this week I will write down one happy memory from the past year. Okay, your turn!

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

Lesson of the Week: Forcing Perspective 

“I’m frustrated because I feel like my life is on hold.”

Anyone else have a negative thought loop stuck in their head right now?

The above is mine. And to be completely honest with you, I went back and forth on if I wanted to share it in today’s newsletter.

My hesitation was rooted in the fact that this concern is obviously quite minuscule in comparison to what others are dealing with.

But on the other hand, I keep thinking what if one of you is experiencing something similar? Or, even if your negative thought loop is different, maybe hearing how I’m working through mine can help you with yours.

We are on an emotional roller coaster right now. If you are like me, some days are good, and some days are bad. Or more realistically, some hours of the day are good, and some hours of the day are bad.

And while I definitely experience those sad, anxious and frustrated feelings from time to time, I am also intentionally doing the following three things to ensure good days (or hours) still happen among the bad ones:  

1. Looking for moments of joy amidst times of sadness
2. Expressing gratitude for what I do have to distract myself from negative thoughts
3. Seeking out inspiring content to consume

One the main sources of inspiring content for me right now is Rachel Hollis’ “Next 90 Days” challenge (mentioned in last week’s newsletter). Not only am I loving how it holds me accountable to maintain healthy habits, but signing up also provides access to a plethora of free resources. This week, it was a 40-minute video of Rachel talking about perspective. I watched it one day after work and it was such a welcomed respite from consuming news or mindlessly scrolling social media. I resonated with a lot of what Rachel taught and if you are interested in hearing more straight from the source, all you have to do is sign up here.

So while I can absolutely not take credit for the content shared in the video, what I am excited to share today is my own application of the teaching.

Specifically, here’s two things I did because of watching the video that forced my perspective to change in regards to my negative thought loop: 

First, I took a step back and acknowledged how blessed I am. A moment of gratitude is not always easy and it might not be what you want to do in the moment, but it is really one of the easiest ways to force your perspective. No matter your circumstances, I am willing to bet there is someone out there who would love to be in your position. As soon as I started thinking about the blessings I do have, my negative thought loop started to unravel a bit. 

But the real magic happened in the second step… 

Next, I flipped the script. Yes, my life is “on hold.” Yes, there were a lot of things I wanted to do, places I wanted to travel, people I wanted to be with and experiences I thought I would have. My feelings are valid and I am upset that this is happening to me.

But what if I changed the narrative? What if instead I thought about life being on hold as something that isn’t happening to me, but instead happening for me?

Flipping the script doesn’t suddenly make everything OK. But it does move you from lamenting about your situation to allowing you to find meaning in the mess.

• I miss the people I typically see in my daily life, but I am getting to connect in new ways with those who I don’t normally speak to on a daily or weekly basis.
• I miss restaurants and errands and going out with friends, but I am enjoying testing out new recipes, getting the same amount of sleep every night and slow, lazy mornings.
• I’m sad about the trips that have been canceled, but I look back on past trips with new appreciation and am finding ways to put the money I would have spent to other meaningful uses.
• I mourn the “what ifs” and the opportunities I could be experiencing in my personal and professional life, but I am using this time to work on myself, ensuring the best version of me is ready for whatever may come up tomorrow or a few months from now.  

So yes, my life is on hold. But my life being on hold is also providing me the opportunity to rest, reset and be introspective about who I want to be after all of this. I’m choosing to see my life being on hold as something that is happening for me, not to me. 

What do you think? Do you think flipping the script on your own negative thought loop could help force your perspective? 

On My Monday Radar

Sometimes we just aren’t ready to jump into our Monday to-do list right away. In case you want some content to procrastinate with, here is a roundup of a few positive things on my radar:  

• Make these easy chicken tenders this week. These were a big hit with my family last week! We had them for dinner alongside some roasted veggies and I plan on making them again this week to eat over salads for lunches. 
• This is the only makeup product I’ve been wearing… plus a little mascara to ensure I don’t rub my eyes :). I’ve been intrigued by this product for a while and knowing many makeup-free days were in my future, I decided now would be the perfect time to give it a try. I’ve only been using it for a few days, but am really liking wearing it over my moisturizer to help with my main skin concerns (redness and uneven skin tone). 
• Emily Ley’s new planners launched last week! I recognize it’s a funny time to be talking about planners because personally, I get a bit sad looking at my planner for the month of April (it’s a mix of blank space and canceled plans). BUT maybe ordering yourself a new academic planner that starts in August will bring you a bit of joy and excitement for the future. I’ve been using the Simplified Planner for a while now and am always excited to see the new cover designs. Here’s my favorite from this year’s collection (*heart eye emoji*).  
• Why not use this time to “train” your hair? File this under completely random quarantine advice, but now could be the perfect time to “train” your hair to go longer in between washes! What the heck am I talking about? It takes dedication to build up hair’s tolerance to lasting one, two (or even three..!) days between washes (note: this only applies to washing your hair. Showering every day – with a showercap – is still highly encouraged). Slowly increase the days between washes and be ok with some bad hair days as your hair becomes accustomed to the new routine. By the time quarantine is over, your hair will be acclimated to only being washed a few times a week (I’m working toward 1 or 2!) and you’ll be able to spend all that shampooing/blow drying time on the many activities we are eager to get back to. 
• Very relatable article about the discomfort we are feeling. I hope today’s newsletter was a bit of a respite for you. No matter what is going on in the world, I want this newsletter to be a source of positivity that motivates you to start your week on a happy note. But I also realize the severity of the situation we are in and the valid feelings of anxiety, grief and anger we are all feeling. What I love about the concept of an email newsletter is that you can open it on your terms. You can always count on a newsletter being in your inbox Mondays at 6 AM EST, but feel free to open it whenever you feel like you are ready for it. If you are struggling today, know that I see you and am sending you love. Nothing about this time is easy, but this article really resonated with me. I hope it does the same for you. <3

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

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