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Monday, 4/3/23: Talking about planning for April and spring clothes

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 restful moments, time with Matt and the sun being out yesterday.  

TODAY: I’m most excited to start this book today! Been seeing it everywhere.

INTENTION: My intention this week is to get in a groove with my April routine. 

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

Meaningful Musings: April Intentions 

Happy first Monday of April!

I know the start of new month is arbitrary. Is it really that significant? No. But this month – more than usual – I’m excited to be turning the page of the calendar.

I remember at the end of last year, when I was looking ahead to 2023, recognizing that April was one of the only 2023 months without travel plans, big events or pre-established plans. It’s certainly been a great year so far… visiting Charleston! Time at home in Florida and trips to Indy! Friends in town for St. Patrick’s Day! But especially as I cross the threshold on two big, time-intensive projects at work this week and generally work through some heaviness, I’m thankful to have this “open” month in front of me to reset and re-center. It’s a theme you’ll see carried throughout my monthly intentions below.

Your April might look different than mine – maybe it’s your busiest month! – but if you’re open to it, consider using this first Monday of a new month (and quarter!) to take a beat and think about how you want to spend your time these next couple weeks. I find that even just by thinking about how I want to spend my time, I’m more likely to spend my time mindfully.   

Now, let’s get to planning!

What do I love about the month of April?

  • My birthday is in April! I can’t deny it – I do love my birthday. No big plans this year (gearing up for next year – 30!), but always love taking time to reflect on the year that’s passed and the year ahead.
  • The weather, especially toward the end of the month, does start to turn. Yay! April is always a mixed bag, but here in Chicago, we do usually have a few glorious tastes of what’s come. And, every year tens of thousands of tulips are planted in the Michigan Ave medians. They typically start to bloom at the end of April. I LOVE it. It’s such a fun tradition.

Anything unique about this April?

  • Like I mentioned above, I’m not traveling, intense parts of some work projects are (for the most part) behind me, and my calendar is generally “open.”
  • Easter falls at the beginning of April this year! Excited to be celebrating with Matt and close family friends.
  • My mom is also coming to visit a weekend in April – can’t wait to spend time with her!


April 2023 Intentions

  • Journal most mornings. I’ve written before about something called “The Morning Pages,” which is a journaling practice in which you write three pages of longhand writing first thing in the morning. It’s strictly stream of consciousness – you just write down whatever comes to mind. I did this frequently in 2020/2021 but have gotten out of the habit since. Since I have some space in my schedule, hoping to get back into a routine this month. I love it. As the famous Joan Didion quote goes, “I don’t what I think until I write it down.”
  • Lean into cooking and meal prepping. Since I’ll be home this month, I’m excited to spend some more time in the kitchen. I recently ordered two new cookbooks – Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. and Rise and Run – by runners and friends Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. I found the pair through their superhero muffin recipe, which I love and make almost weekly. Can’t wait to try their other recipes.
  • Relax on Sundays. Ever since reading this article, I keep thinking about the idea of having one day a week (like a Sunday) that’s unstructured and rest focused. I think this is the month to test it out, with no travel plans and work stabilizing a bit. It would mean finding another day to write this newsletter as that is usually my Sunday task, but I think it would be a cool experiment!
  • Try CorePower Yoga. I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since my barre studio – Bar Method – closed its location near me. Since then, I’ve gotten into a good groove of alternating between running, at-home Sculpt Society videos, Peloton rides and Barry’s classes on Saturday with Matt. But I’d love to add more in-person group fitness to my routine. CorePower Yoga has been on my radar for a bit and I’m excited to try a class.

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:  

Picture of the Week

(April 1, 2023)
Well, that was a fun March Madness! I can’t believe it, but with everyone’s champion eliminated, I somehow won my family’s bracket. Pretty proud of myself!!

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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