Monday, 5/25/20: Talking about the Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s new song and the power of second thoughts

Happy Monday!

And Happy Memorial Day! Taking time today to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Thank you. We remember you. We are grateful to you.

It’s also 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 am thankful for meeting my running goal from last week, time to read to Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B (more below) and the comforts of home.

TODAY: I am most excited to have the day off work. Planning to go the whole day without looking at a computer. 🙂 

INTENTION: My intention this week is to figure out some type of easy, 10-minute (max) mindfulness practice where I can slow down and be still. Never have been successful with this in the past… but let’s give it another try!  Okay, your turn!

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

Lesson of the Week: The Power of Second Thoughts

Something I’ve loved about this time is a newfound appreciation for the little things. 

I’ve written about gratitude before and my experience with a daily practice where I consistently wrote down a list of things I was thankful for. The catch? All the things had to happen in the past 24 hours.

Once I committed to doing the practice daily, I reaped the benefits instantly. Knowing I needed to come up with a list of things for the next morning, I went through my day looking for things to be grateful for.

When something made me smile or brought my joy, I automatically thought, “I need to remember this for tomorrow’s list!” It didn’t matter how small or trivial it was… if it brought me joy, it went on the list. 

At the start of quarantine, I could feel myself getting out of sync. Knowing gratitude helps me manage my uncertain, anxious feelings, I started writing down five things every morning that I was thankful for. To take it a step further, I also committed to sharing a picture of my list on my Instagram story.

My intention was twofold. One, maybe someone would see my list and be inspired to do it with me and two, posting would hold me accountable.

Right now, when each day is pretty identical to the day before, finding things to be grateful for can be pretty comical. Tulips blooming, Tik Tok videos, a new dinner recipe, a funny-looking bird I saw on my walk have all gone on the list.

It’s not taking much to make me excited and sometimes I’m really reaching to find five things. But somehow, every day, I do. 

Will I be thankful for these things post-quarantine? I don’t know, but I sure hope so. I know I’m building muscle memory around the fact that there will ALWAYS be something to be thankful for and that expressing gratitude for these simple things makes me a more joyful person. 

As Sheryl Sandberg writes in her book Option B (more on this book below): “happiness is the frequency of positive experiences, not the intensity.”

On Friday, it seemed like the whole world was so excited about a new song from Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. While watching the first 10 minutes of the Today Show, I think I heard them mention it at least 5 times!

I wondered the same question as above: would everyone be as excited about a new song in “normal” times? 

Who cares! I love that something simple brought people joy. And in fact, I couldn’t wait to listen myself.

I started to stream the upbeat tempo and 30 seconds later, I was struck by the lyrics:

“I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive

Rain on me, rain, rain

Rain on me, rain, rain.

I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive

Rain on me, rain, rain

Rain on me.”

I got goosebumps and immediately thought of something I had seen recently. Randomly on Pinterest, I had seen the following quote: 

“Your first thought is what society has conditioned you to think. It’s your second thought that defines you.” 

This quote made me think about those negative thoughts that will sometimes pop in my head about myself, my appearance and my self worth. The kind of thoughts that come out of nowhere – almost subconsciously – and make me feel horrible after. 

I also thought about the times I’ve felt awful after making a snap judgment about someone else based on nothing else than a preconceived notion. 

But now this quote’s simple and clear message sticks with me. I realized that I am not that first thought. And I have a chance to correct it with the thought that follows. 

Maybe today you woke up in a bad mood. Maybe you’ve been experiencing a negative thought loop for the past couple of weeks. Why not try applying this framework this week and see what happens?

Take your own “I’d rather be dry” first thoughts and intentionally counter them with a positive “but at least I’m alive” second thought. I bet the end result would be pretty powerful. 

“I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive

Rain on me, rain, rain

Rain on me, rain, rain.

I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive

Rain on me, rain, rain

Rain on me.”

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:  

• Looking for a fun activity to do today? Maybe you have today off work and aren’t quite sure how to fill your time while staying safe at home. Check out this past newsletter from February for a list of my favorite personality quizzes and thoughts about how taking the time to get to know ourselves better can transform our relationships and our day-to-day happiness. 
• Did you watch ESPN’s Last Dance documentary about Michael Jordan? I finished it this week and loved it so much. Not just because it was something I could watch with my brothers or because I call Chicago “home” now, but because I loved the story of work ethic, perseverance and team building. I’m also a sucker for learning more about somebody’s story in a memoir or a documentary. If you are looking for something to watch today, consider checking it out!
• Need something to read? I loved Option B by Sheryl Sandberg. I downloaded this book from my library on a whim and am SO glad I did. The book about how Sandberg (COO at Facebook and Lean In author) faced adversity in the devastating aftermath of losing her husband/father to her two young kids. Inspiring stories and commentary from other people are weaved throughout, providing guidance on how to build resiliency and find joy again when dealing with loss. While reading, I also learned so much about all the things I’ve done wrong (with good intentions!) when I’ve tried to support a loved one or friend who’s going through a hard time. Considering our circumstances, I think a lot of people could benefit from reading this book right now as we are all dealing with some type of loss or grief. We are all living in our own version of “Option B.” With only 10 chapters and just under 200 pages, it is an easy, heartwarming read. 
• Megan’s Monday Motivation Mailbox! Have feedback about how this newsletter could be more valuable? Want a specific question answered in an upcoming edition? Introducing Megan’s Monday Motivation Mailbox! An anonymous way to pass along comments, thoughts and questions. Don’t have anything today, but may have something in the future? The link to the form will be at the bottom of each newsletter. Can’t wait to hear from you!

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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