Monday, 8/8/22: Talking about notes from July and idle leisure
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 relaxing weekend in Indianapolis, the amazing ‘pick-your-own’ flower farm we went to Saturday and time to read.
TODAY: Today I’m most excited for my ‘Monday morning recharge ritual’ time (part of my goals for this August!).
INTENTION: My intention this week is to write out my to-do list for each day in advance.
Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂
Meaningful Musings: Notes from July
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 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. 🙂
July’s 10 Things:
- Biggest July accomplishment: walked 50,000 steps IN ONE DAY. Phew. I’m tired just thinking about it again. Matt and I did it together and we can’t remember how this idea landed on our summer bucket list… Thinking it had to be one of those ideas expressed in the depths of winter (“when it’s nice out again, I’m going to be so excited that I’ll walk 50k steps in a day!”). But we did it! Luckily we had perfect weather and some great people watching (it was the same weekend as the music festival Lollapalooza in Chicago, hence why I’m referring to this physical feat as “Walkapalooza”). 50,000 steps equates to about 25 miles, and, wow it was a lot more challenging than expected. While the beginning of the day felt easy, it was such a defeating feeling when we got to 6 PM and still had ~15,000 steps left to go. So glad we did it and so glad we never have to do it again, haha.
- A fun July purchase: I bought a Nespresso (this is the version I got) on Amazon Prime Day! I am loving it. It was a tad of an impulse purchase for me (that “lightning deal” got me!), but when I visited my friend November and tried hers, I loved it and added it to my “someday” list. I haven’t used the machine for espresso yet because I love the coffee it brews so much. Even with just plain, black coffee, you get this thin layer of foam at the top that is just so good. I’m also definitely buying coffee out less, which is a win!
- I read a couple of great books in July (Daisy Jones & The Six, The Hotel Nantucket, Bookends), but I think my favorite was Every Summer After. I’d seen the book get a fair amount of hype, so I worried my expectations would be too high, but I really enjoyed it. The nostalgia, the summer romance, the writing – loved all of it! Great summer read.
- I was able to start last month at one of my favorite places – my grandma’s house in Sharon, PA – with family and friends. Yay! Keeping the 4th of July tradition strong. What was unique about this year is that I DROVE to PA (well, I drove for some of it; was a passenger for the majority). I usually fly, but I have to say, having access to a car and being able to leave on your own time was quite convenient!
- A few times in July I went grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s before work. Trader Joe’s is a close walk from my apartment and opens at 8 AM, so it is easy for me to pop over early and get back to my place well before 9. Every time I do it, I wonder why I don’t do it more. The store is empty and fully stocked and I get a nice morning walk in. It’s an idyllic grocery shopping routine!
- I was able to see one of my former co-workers get married in July, and it was so fun! Weddings are so special. I love seeing the personality of the couples through little touches and the celebratory nature of it all.
- Speaking of co-workers, I also had the opportunity to finally meet a few co-workers in person when they were in Chicago for a meeting. We’ve worked together virtually for over a year, but it felt so great to get to meet and connect in-person. Some things really can’t be replicated!
- Other things that can’t be replicated with technology? The quality time you get from a “friend weekend.” One of my best friends from college, Amy, visited me on a weekend in July and it was just the best. We did a workout class together, went on a lot of long walks & talks, and had fun at a neighborhood street festival. It felt like we were living in the same city for a weekend, and it was so great.
- In July, I started playing jazz music in the background when reading. Trying to emulate a coffee house vibe, and I have to say, it’s really elevating my reading experience. Here is a playlist I love.
- Speaking of coffee houses, on the last Sunday in July, I was running errands around Lincoln Park when I walked past the cutest coffee shop. There was an open table and I had my iPad, so I popped in (yay for spontaneity!) and loved working on my newsletter there. It was lovely and might become a new routine for 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:
- An article about embracing “doing nothing.” With one of my August intentions being to relax and rest, this article caught my eye. It offers three steps you can take to improve your approach to idle leisure. The article also outlines the benefits of “time spent doing nothing,” including how it can make us better at creative problem-solving, help us see our ordinary activities in a more meaningful and significant way and more. Interesting!
- Do you take a lunch break? This article discusses the power of doing so. Along the same lines of resting, what about getting some “idle leisure” with a break for lunch midday? When I’m working from home, I’m pretty good about stepping away to make and eat lunch (I love not having to pack it in advance or having to run out somewhere to pick lunch up). But I am in the habit of automatically putting on a podcast or watching something on my phone while I make it and eat. So, the time is not much of a break for my brain. This article (and the previous one) are making me consider the idea of transforming this time into a true break.
- Has anyone read the novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow? I feel like I’m seeing rave reviews for this book everywhere! I’m kicking myself since this was a July option for my Book of the Month subscription, but I went with something else after reading this book’s description (it centers around a video game, something I don’t know much about). But apparently those who’ve read it say you don’t have to be into video games to enjoy it…
- I recently purchased a pair of HOKA running sneakers and I love them. Yay!! I had been wanting the white-on-white version of these sneakers for months now, but I couldn’t track down my size! So, when I saw them available, I jumped at my chance. After my running injury last year, I recognize you really get what you pay for when it comes to shoes like these, and I have to say, I feel very supported in my HOKAs. (These were the shoes I wore on the 50K Step Day!) Plus, I love the look of them 🙂
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