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 time spent connecting and catching up with co-workers-turned-friends, my plan-less, open day on Saturday and my run outside on Sunday.   

TODAY: Got all the ingredients this weekend, so today I’m most excited to make this chili for dinner/to eat throughout the week.

INTENTION: My intention this week is to get back into a routine of deferring/batching misc. to-dos (more below!).

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

Meaningful Musings: January’s 10 Things

Oh hello, last day of January! 

Getting through January always feels like a feat, right? However the month went for you, we did it. First month of 2022 is under our belts and we’re onto the next!

Excited to be continuing the trend of writing a recap at the end of the month with 10 things I’m loving or want to remember. If you are looking for an activity to pep up your Monday, give this a try. Scroll through your photos or reference your calendar from the past 4 weeks and make a quick list of memories.

Sharing my list below as an example – you can tell it’s a monthly recap from winter because there’s a lot of home & reading-related notes!

January’s 10 Things:

1. This was the second year in a row I spent some of January at home in Florida, thanks to the fact that I’m still working remotely. I loved the extra time with my parents & it was a really nice start to the year. 
2. Something that made me happy this month: even though I took down my Christmas decorations, I did keep this wreath up above my bed. Since the wreath doesn’t have any sparkly lights or festive accouterments, I thought it could make for a good winter decoration. It’s more ‘evergreen,’ if you will 😉 (too early in the morning for puns?) 
3. The new short Ugg boots I got for Christmas are also making me extremely happy. I’ve never had a pair of Uggs before and, wow, are they magical! I wear them on walks, errands, while working from home, and cannot believe how warm they are! They are new-to-me, but I already can’t picture going through winter without them.
4. Another winter necessity: Yeti coffee mugs. Unlike the Uggs, these aren’t a new discovery for me, but my love for them has been renewed as they kept my coffee warm despite frigid weather conditions. I also feel like they help me drink less coffee? When I use them, I’m no longer ditching half-drank coffees that have gone cold in favor of brewing a whole new cup.
5. Reading this article led me to reading the author’s book, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, and I found it very thought-provoking. The author, Catherine Price, makes the case for prioritizing something called ‘True Fun’ which is different from all those things we call “fun” that are actually not fun at all. Price defines True Fun as the confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow, and lays out a roadmap for identifying it/seeking it out (& why we should do so). 
6. For my walks, I started listening to Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House – narrated by Tom Hanks – and I can’t remember the last time I was so enamored by an audiobook. As this review aptly put it, it is equal parts a story of siblings and a study of the way spaces (geographies, buildings, cities, homes) shape our lives as much as we shape them. The storytelling is exquisite, but I actually don’t know if I would be as in love with the book if I was reading it vs. listening to it. There is just something about Tom Hanks’ narration that elevates it!
7. I also listened to Katie Couric’s memoir, Going There, and really liked it. I started listening during that week in between Christmas and New Year’s. I went on a walk almost every afternoon to sneak in a few chapters and I called it my ‘afternoon walk with Katie.’ :). This is another book I highly recommend listening to vs. reading because in addition to Katie narrating, they also splice in audio clips from some of her most famous interviews. Really cool listening experience. 
8. And on the topic of listening: in one of my group chats with friends, we started sending voice memos instead of texts and it’s been so fun! And quite efficient for those times when you have a longer story to tell. It’s like a phone call but one where you are able to respond on your own time. 
9. Next month, I want to get back in the habit of batching miscellaneous to-do’s and tasks. I wrote about this idea back in June, but the crux of it is that you set up a simple system to defer tasks that can wait vs. getting distracted from whatever you are currently focusing on. Months ago, I got into a  groove where I would keep a running list of these random to-do’s that would pop in my head throughout the week to handle later. Then, usually on Sunday afternoons, I would sit down with some coffee and move through tasks that needed attention, using momentum as a motivator. For me, the best part is that if I know when I’ll tackle those miscellaneous to-do’s, I’ll be less likely to cram them haphazardly into any free moment.
10. Going strong with the monthly activities in my Best Year Yet journal! I completed (or am progress of completing) four the six suggested monthly activities:
    • Book a vacation – I’m attending a wedding in Florida in April, so I’m adding a few days on to see family & friends (and the sun)!
    • Spend time outside – Completing this one is a testament to how much I’m loving listening to The Dutch House… Despite the chilly weather, I’ve taken a couple of long walks each week because I want to listen to ‘just one more’ chapter. 
    • Write down upcoming goals – Yep! 
    • Read a classic book – Currently reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion and am loving it. It kind of feels like I’m reading for English class again 😉

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:  

• Has anyone started The Gilded Age? It’s from Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes, and I actually think at one point the show was going to be a Downton prequel centered around the coming-of-age story of Cora Crawley. But during the series’ journey to production, the connection to Downton disappeared. Nevertheless, as someone who loved Downton Abbey, I’m interested in this historical series set in 1880s New York. It looks like it’s gotten mixed reviews so far, but I think I’m going to give it a shot. 
• Do you re-read books? Here’s a list of 15 books worth rereading. A bit embarrassed to admit I haven’t read any of the titles on that list, but I think endorsing a reread is one of the highest forms of praise books can receive. I also loved perusing this list of “funny/wonderful” books and bookmarked for the next time I need reading inspo.
• This Oh Happy Dani Collection at Target is so cute. I’m sure you’ve seen the artist’s – Danielle Coke’s – artwork and thoughtful work on Instagram, but really excited to see Target launched a line of her wall art and stationery! 
• Wow, I loved this article. The author writes about something that has changed her life: a kindness log. Loved this take on a gratitude practice. A great Monday pick-me-up read and practice.  

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