Monday, 4/4/22: Talking about a recap of March and the book I read last week
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’m thankful for the friends I saw, safe travels and spending time at the cutest “bookstore with wine and wine bar with books” (aka heaven).
TODAY: I’m most excited to hangout with my mom today!!
INTENTION: My intention this week is to write down something good that happened each day. I have a fun week ahead of me (home in Florida & off work, yay!), so want to soak it all up/help myself remember the good.
Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂
Meaningful Musings: Notes from March
As one of the items on my 22 in 2022 List, I’m writing a quick “recap” each month. It’s a fun exercise – especially if you need a pick-me-up on a Monday morning – and helps me reflect on all the things that happen (the big and the small) over the span of a few weeks.
Read on below for my 10 things from March, and what I’m looking forward to in April. If you have a ritual you rely on to mark the end of the month, I’d love to hear about it!
March’s 10 Notes:
- I ran my first 8k!! I ran the Shamrock Shuffle, which is a run I’ve always wanted to participate in since moving to Chicago. Loved seeing everyone in green and was so thankful that the weather cooperated (yay for sunny skies & not-too-chilly temps!).
- The Shamrock Shuffle was a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and so was making it down to see the Chicago River in all its green glory the weekend before. In case you didn’t know, Chicago goes ALL out for St. Patrick’s Day the weekend before the 17th. The river is dyed green, there is a parade and more. Always such a fun day!
- March also brought a few days of warm-weather temps (I’m talking all the way up to 65 degrees!!), and it was glorious. It didn’t last long, but I thoroughly enjoyed a couple of long walks and a fun lunch on a patio (!) with friends. Thankful for the little taste of summer to get us through this last bit of winter.
- Because while March offers a few surprisingly warm days, I was also reminded it’s not uncommon to go an entire week without seeing the sun. 🙁 And that can seriously impact your mood (or at least, it can for me). This year I’m continuing something I started last year: tracking the days the sun is out on my calendar. It sounds funny, but I found this to be helpful for two reasons: 1) if I was feeling a bit off or low one day, I would reference my calendar to clue myself in on the last time I saw the sun. More often than not, my dip in mood was correlated with the sun not being out, which helped me make sense of my feelings and 2) before I complained about the weather (do you even live in Chicago if your go-to isn’t complaining about the weather?), I would check the calendar and remind myself that even though it feels like the sun hasn’t been out all month, looking at the month as a whole, there were actually more sunny days than I thought.
- Okay, enough about the weather… pivoting to TV shows: did you watch The Dropout last month? I’m enjoying it and think it’s well done (Amanda Seyfried is amazing!). I read the book – Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup – a few years ago and it’s interesting to see the [crazy] story told in another way. Next on my list to watch in the startup scandal rotation? WeCrashed.
- I loved listening to this podcast episode and this podcast episode about distractions, focus and attention. It’s a topic I’m pretty fascinated about right now, especially as I read the book Four Thousand Weeks. Stay tuned for more thoughts…
- Elin Hilderbrand, I love you! Seriously, I think I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every book of hers that I’ve picked up. It’s so convenient to have a go-to author. In March, I read two of her books – The Sixth Wedding, a short-story follow-up to 28 Summers, and her newest novel, Golden Girl, which I recap more below. I really liked it!!
- As a fun treat, I bought a variety pack of Loops face masks last month. They are pricier than other face masks, but I did feel a difference in quality. They don’t slip and slide around! Not an everyday thing, but it was a fun Sunday night treat.
- I also started using a new perfume in March. I picked this one because it was on sale (half off!), and I’m liking it. It’s fresh and floral, which makes it perfect for Spring.
- Speaking of purchases, I need a new planner for Q2! Anyone have one they like? I used the Full Focus planner for the past two quarters and really like it, but I want to change it up. I’m leaning toward this one.
And looking ahead, a few things I’m excited about in April!:
- Spending over a week in Florida!! I’m already here and can’t wait to continue to soak up time with my parents, enjoy time off work, and bask in the warm temps.
- I’m in Florida because one of my friends from high school is getting married this Friday!! CAN’T WAIT! Seeing old friends is good for the soul. I’m lucky I was able to see some friends from college last weekend too.
- Turning 28 this month! Eeek! Love birthdays. 🙂
- And lastly, I’m starting some new projects at work. I’m excited (and a little nervous). Looking forward to being challenged in some new ways!
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 devoured this book last week. The book starts when a woman in her 50’s – a well-known novelist on Nantucket – dies suddenly and watches her adult children grapple with her death and their own drama for the following summer from heaven. There was something about the characters and plotline that drew me in from the beginning. I already miss some of the characters (does this happen to anyone else after reading a book?). Think it would make for a great beach or vacation read!
- The real-life Newport mansions that inspired a recent episode of The Gilded Age. Not mentioned in the recap above above, but I also finished watching Season 1 of The Gilded Age in March. In the season finale some of the characters travel out to Newport, and this article features some of the real-life mansions that served as inspiration. Fun to read through!
- I like that the TV show Bridgerton is back because it means we get a new soundtrack for this season. I can’t get enough of the orchestra covers for 21st-century songs! Perfect background music while working.
- On being happy in small ways. Oh I just love this musing: “Edith Wharton wrote: ‘Be interested in big things and happy in small ways.’ That’s it, isn’t it? Maintaining a sense of perspective and awe and curiosity when it comes to the Big Stuff, and yet finding joy in the middle, in the slenderest of details?” YES!
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