Monday, 6/6/22: Talking about notes from May and tips for making today magical
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 time with my mom, the Lincoln Park farmer’s market, and being able to get organized before this week.
TODAY: Today, I’m most excited to treat myself to an iced coffee. Going to be a busy day work-wise and I need some extra caffeine 🙂
INTENTION: My intention this week is to read (at least for a few minutes) every day. In a bit of a reading rut!
Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂
Meaningful Musings: Notes from May
As one of the items on my 22 in 2022 list, I’m writing a quick recap at the end of each month with 10 things I want to remember. I’m really enjoying the ritual of taking a moment to pause, remember the little things, and think about what I’m excited for next month.
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 in four weeks!
Hope you have a great Monday. 🙂
May’s 10 Things:
- I started consistently working from the office a few days a week in May. My current rhythm includes being in the office Tuesdays and Thursdays and working from home the rest of the days. I’m really enjoying this change in routine.
- We had our first 80-degree day of the year in May and the change in weather has been glorious. Besides just the warmer temps, I’m also thankful for the extra hours of daylight. Love it being light so early in the morning until late into the evening. Yay!
- With the weather turning a corner, I knew I wanted to find more outdoor activities in May. So, I was really excited when my boyfriend discovered a volunteer opportunity that entailed gardening on some Saturday mornings in the park near us. We did it twice in May and it was a win-win-win situation. Win 1: spend time outside. Win 2: give back in a small way to the park we love and use so much. And Win 3: have fun!
- In other “firsts” for the month of May, I finally saw a Broadway play in Chicago! My friend and I saw Moulin Rouge and it was so fun. Why have I waited so long to see a play here?! I love musicals. Next up on my wish list is SIX (a newer one – has anyone seen?) and Wicked (coming to Chicago at the end of the year & I am PUMPED).
- I also went to Indianapolis and the Indy 500 for the first time. What a great time!! Perfect way to kick off summer and thoroughly enjoyed seeing another Midwest city. Big highlight of May for sure.
- On the reading front, not a lot to report for May… Most of the month was consumed with finishing Cloud Cuckoo Land (great story, just a little too long of a book for me) and reading Black Cake (I am loving it!! Check it out if you like family sagas). Hoping to read a few more books next month.
- On a Friday night in May, my friends and I ate pizza, drank wine and watched the live recording of Harry Styles’ ‘One Night Only in New York’ concert. It was so fun! Plus, seeing him perform his new songs made me like them even more. Have you listened to his new album?
- Some summer skincare/makeup products I kept reaching for last month: Glossier’s Futuredew, Tula’s Filter Primer (I love the shade “Sunrise”) and Versed’s Glow Drops. Perfect for the summer, no-makeup look (+ sunscreen of course!).
- I love when my family visits Chicago. Earlier in the month, I got to see my uncle and at the end of the month, my mom was here. Both of them were in town for business and I’m happy I was able to squeeze in a quick visit. There’s nothing like catching up in person.
- Ending with something fun: I bought a bottle of hot honey sauce from Trader Joe’s last month and am loving adding it to various dishes. So far, my favorite things to use it on include this frozen pizza (thank you to my friend Pat for the rec) and avocado toast + scrambled eggs (and a thank you to my friend Perri for that rec).
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:
- 10 Ways to Make Mondays Magical. This article feels right at home in this newsletter. I loved the suggestions! Looking forward to doing a few of these today 🙂
- The third book in the American Royals series came out last week – yay! This YA series posits a world where George Washington was the first King of America rather than the first President. It’s fun and light and easy to read. I enjoyed the first two books, so I’m excited to read this one – “Rivals” – too.
- Comprehensive article with affordable vacation alternatives. If you’re itching to travel soon, check out this article from the New York Times’ “Making the Most of Summer” section. The article details affordable suggestions for trips focused on wine, culture, food, outdoors and more!
- The Queen’s (reported) beauty favorites. Anyone else watch the coverage of the Queen’s Jubilee over the weekend? I kind of loved following it on social. This article was fun to read as well: the Queen’s beauty favorites that are quite budget-friendly! Of course these are just her “reported” favorites 🙂
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