Monday, 3/20/23: Talking about notes from February and recent Target finds

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 nice weekend in Indianapolis, attending a beautiful bridal shower Saturday (so fun!) and for my long walk in the sun yesterday.  

TODAY: I’m most excited to do a Peloton ride this morning to get my week started. 

INTENTION: My intention this week is to focus on my sleep, prioritizing it more than I normally do.

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

Meaningful Musings: Notes from February 

Even though we’re almost through March, I still wanted to recap February because it’s one of my favorite ways to remember what happens throughout the year.

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 couple weeks and make a quick list of memories and ordinary moments. A lot can happen over the course of a month!

Notes from February: 

• Highlight of February by-far was visiting Charleston. It was my first time visiting the city and I loved it. My mission was to take a quick, lowkey trip with Matt and Charleston was perfect for us. A vacation filled with good food, lots of walking and beautiful city filled with history? Yes please. We stayed at Hotel Bennett, which was wonderful, and loved the food (and drinks!) at 167 Raw Oyster Bar. Can’t wait to go back to Charleston!
• I didn’t shop much before my trip to Charleston (no-shop January was still going strong in Feb!), but I did treat myself to a haircut and some new makeup before we left. Winter can be tough in the self-confidence department, but a quick trim and/or changing up my makeup routine are easy ways to lift the spirit – I know they did for me. Jones Road Beauty is the new makeup I bought (the foundation and the miracle balm). Big fan!
• While I didn’t shop much, one clothing purchase I did make for Charleston was this $15 neck scarf(color: G-30 Grace Pink). I bought it right before the trip and am so glad I did! I’ve worn it a couple of times since – perfect way to dress up an otherwise plain outfit.   
• I also went to my first Butler basketball game in February! Matt went to Butler for undergrad and is a lifelong avid fan, so it was really special to see it all in person. Plus, the fact that they won didn’t hurt 
• Really enjoyed the books I read in February:The Reunion, Someone Else’s Shoes, Book Lovers, Workday Warrior and Fair Play. The fiction books in particular is what stood out to me – quick thoughts on the below:
  • Book Lovers: I’ve read a few of this author’s (Emily Henry) books and this one is by far her favorite. It’s my favorite fiction book I’ve read this year! Loved the characters and the storyline – not your typical rom-com book.
  • Someone Else’s Shoes: I was very excited to see a new book from JoJo Moyes hit the shelves! Like Emily Henry, I think I could read anything she writes. I liked this one and really fell for a few characters in particular. It was a pretty long book though, and at a few points felt almost like Moyes was trying to get everything she could to fit in the plot. Still enjoyed it though!
  • The Reunion: I thought this was a cute premise – as the description reads, “two former teen stars reconnect at the reunion for their hit TV show and discover their feelings for one another were not merely scripted.” Yes, it was cheesy at times, but also very easy to read and enjoyable.  
• In February, Matt and I started watching a show called The Food That Built America on History Channel. I know – so random. I don’t really know how this started, but the episodes are somehow informative, surprising, and even a bit charming. I now know a lot more about corporate food history than I ever expected to.  
• One of my February intentions was to start a Thursday afternoon ritual. I wrote about this in January, but after coming across the reminder that Wednesday is not the middle of the week, Thursday afternoon is, I wanted to find some way to help me register that I’m only halfway through the week on Thursday. Now, I have a reminder that pops up on my phone at noon on Thursday. I use it as a prompt to think about how the week is going and what else I have to have look forward it. Really liking the mindset shift!

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 am very intrigued by this idea about “taking back Sundays”… “We have an agreement: One day a week, we do absolutely nothing. In a society obsessed with productivity, this is harder than it should be—but it’s worth it.”
• So excited about two spring Target purchases that just arrived in the mail: these cute pearl sandals and this straw bag (LOVE the two strap options). They look like they’re both out-of-stock now but would recommend clicking the button to “notify when back.” That’s what I did!
• Anyone else spend time this weekend reading about Taylor Swift’s opening night of the Eras Tour? Can’t help myself! Seeing her in Chicago and VERY excited.
• Yummm – I gave up sweets for Lent but saw this recipe last week and immediately saved it for next month. Looks like an amazing dessert!

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