Monday, 12/18/23: Talking about a kindness mindset

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: I’m thankful for a festive dinner with friends Friday, time spent with Matt, and easy travels home yesterday!. 

TODAY: I’m most excited to be working from my parents’ today. Happy to be home for the holidays!

INTENTION: My intention this week is to journal most mornings. 

Meaningful Musings: Kindness Mindset

Around this time a few years ago, a friend was visiting me in Chicago. There are  many great memories from the trip, but one thing really stood out to me. It was something so simple and small that I doubt my friend even remembers it, but for some reason, it had an impact on me. (Isn’t it funny how sometimes the simplest things can also be the most profound?)

It was December in Chicago, so it was cold during the visit, but not artic-level freezing yet. One morning, we went out on a luxuriously long walk, and I noticed my friend put her cute pair of gloves on.

This struck me as surprising since the weather was just balmy. 

As I examined why this simple act was surprising to me, I realized that I had a preconceived notion that gloves must be reserved for dire cold temps. Gloves were for intolerable conditions only, right? I mean, with months of below 20 degrees temps ahead of me, I had to show I could make it through mild weather without needing gloves.

But did I really?

After that day, I started changing my habit. I began putting on gloves whenever I felt chilly – whether it was for a short jaunt or for a longer time spent outside. Sometimes I didn’t need to wear the gloves for very long, but it was a comfort knowing they were there in my coat pockets. It was easy enough to pull them on and off. And wearing them – even in balmy, mild weather – really did make a difference in terms of my overall experience. I was more comfortable and warmer, and I loved how my hands didn’t get as dry.

Eventually, I realized this isn’t about gloves. It’s about how it feels good to do something kind for yourself, to look out for yourself in even the smallest of ways.

I was listening to this podcast episode this weekend and realized they put into words how I describe this: a kindness mindset.

Don’t you just love the sound of that?

Just hearing the phrase “a kindness mindset” makes me think about my next thought and action through the lends of kindness.  

We think a lot about showing kindness toward others this time of year, which of course is so important and one of my favorite aspects of the season. But what about also thinking about how you can show a little kindness to yourself?

As we enter these next two festive, cozy, fun (and crazy) weeks, what could be your equivalent of putting on gloves in mild weather?

What’s one small thing you could do for yourself to show yourself kindness? Something small that makes you a little more comfortable and a little more at ease.

What if, for the rest of this holiday season and as we close out the year, we adopted a kindness mindset not only toward others, but toward ourselves too? What would that look like?

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

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

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:  

• I have found my new favorite holiday coffee drink! Caveat: I have a huge sweet tooth, but I do not like sweet drinks. I prefer to drink my coffee black and am always a bit sad to miss out on the fun of festive coffee beverages. However, this year, I’ve found an order I love. I order a black cold brew iced coffee from Starbucks and add a flavored cold foam topping to it. My favorite is the Peppermint Chocolate cold foam, but they have a few others too. Then, it’s the best of both worlds! It’s a little taste of holiday deliciousness, but not overwhelmingly sweet. I’ve got my mom hooked on it too!   
• How to Create Your Own “Year in Review.” Bookmarking this article for next week, when I’m off work between Christmas and New Year’s and plan to do some reflection and planning for the year ahead. Love how the authors frame taking time to review your year can be one of the “best gifts you can give yourself.”
• Tiny love stories. So fun to read –  reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.

Picture of the Week