Monday, 11/4/24: Talking about November planning

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’s family, a catch-up phone call with my mom and time to relax yesterday. 

TODAY: Today, I’m most excited to have some quiet time this morning. 

INTENTION: My intention this week is to remind myself… do I have a problem now? Good advice for this week I think!

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

Meaningful Musings: November Plans and Intentions

Happy November! I’m writing this at 4 PM Sunday afternoon and the sun is already setting… hello Daylight Savings! I just made myself a decaf coffee because it’s making me sleepy. Hope I can trick myself into waking up a bit . 

Maybe it’s having the upcoming wedding to look forward to (60 days!) or maybe after 8 years in Chicago I’m finally adjusting, but I am not dreading the start of winter as much as I usually do. To be fair, weather has been VERY mild thus far, but the first 4 PM sunset always feels like the ‘official’ start of winter for me. After all, the hardest part of winter for me is not the cold… it’s the lack of sun. 

Regardless, I love these monthly sessions any time of year because they remind me to take a beat, remember what’s special about right now and intentionally plan how I want to spend my time. 

November 2024 Reflection 

What do I love about the month of November?

• Thanksgiving and beginning of holiday season. We are entering one of the best – and coziest – times of year. I love this ‘before’ time when I’m waiting for signs of the seasons to start appearing. Like the holiday decorations going up in storefronts and starting to see the fun Starbucks holiday cups. Can’t wait for it all!
• Family birthdays! My mom, brother, uncle and cousin all have birthdays in November. Love celebrating them! 

Anything unique about this November? 

• Spending the first weekend in Indianapolis with Matt’s family. Just got back from this trip and it was fun, relaxing and productive, as always. 
• Headed to Scottsdale for a friend’s bachelorette. First time in Arizona and can’t wait to spend the weekend celebrating our bride-to-be and catching up with friends from college.
• Matt and I will be in Orlando for Thanksgiving – and some time beforehand. Doing a bit of a final wedding planning sprint!
• It’s the kick off to a really fun and celebratory period. It’s the kick off to the holiday season of course, but specifically this November also kicks off the official wedding celebrations with our wedding quickly approaching. I cannot believe the day is almost here! We’ve done so much planning and preparation and I want to remind myself to enjoy this beginning and anticipate all the good that is to come. 

November 2024 Intentions 

• Take a break from shopping and social media. There are so many exciting things to look forward to… but even exciting things can be stressful  (plus, you know, that major presidential election happening tomorrow). I know when I get stressed, I have a tendency to reach for easy triggers (like impulse shopping and scrolling) that don’t usually make me feel better in the end. I’m an all-or-nothing person, so having both of these off the table for this month will actually make it easier for me to reach for a better outlet (reading, calling a friend, journaling) when the inevitable stress starts to kick in. 
• Decorate our apartment for Christmas! I am a firm decorate-after-Thanksgiving gal, but with Thanksgiving being so late this year and because we’ll be traveling toward the end of the month, I want to get the decorations up early! Can’t wait to make our space cozy and festive!
• Plan out the final wedding planning sprint. As mentioned, Matt and I will be at my parents for an extended time around the Thanksgiving holiday so we can check some final things off the wedding planning list. I want to map out a schedule to make sure we cover all the important items – and leave a little room for fun too. 
• Start purchasing Christmas gifts! Not shopping for myself, but I sure can shop for others . I love taking advantage of the deals after Thanksgiving and getting through my gift list. 

Wishing you a cozy and delightful November, friends! What are you most looking forward to this month? 

From the archives: November 2023 Goals | November 2022 Goals

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