Monday, 9/7/20: Happy Monday! Talking about new habits in September, tiny anchors and belt bags

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 am thankful for a great run on Saturday, fun times with friends and time to relax yesterday.

TODAY: I am excited to have the day off work!

INTENTION: My intention for this week is to follow my new end-of-workday routine (more on this below!). 

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

Lesson of the Week: New Habits in September 

I hope everyone is enjoying their Labor Day Weekend! 

For a lot of people, Labor Day Weekend – or “the unofficial end of summer” – signifies a time of transition. Time to put away the white clothes. Time to get back in routines. Time to get things done before the holidays. In fact, to some, September (not January) is considered the start of a “new year.” 

I don’t think any of us expected life to still look like this in September. But alas, here we are. It is truly such a bewildering time.

However, I do have to admit that I get a little excited when I think about the “fresh start” September inherently offers. I feel like I need to switch things up a bit and I don’t think I am the only one.

On her podcast last week, Brené Brown focused on the idea of “Day 2.” In her words, we are in this moment in time where we don’t have the “dense fog of shiny possibility” that we had on Day 1 and we aren’t yet “running toward the finish line” like we will do on Day 3. Day 2 can be a really confusing and frustrating time.

The concept of “Day 2” reminded me of this article I read recently by author Bruce Felier, who wrote the book Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age. In his book, Bruce talks about navigating transitions and how they typically have three phases. According to Bruce, there is “the long goodbye,” in which you mourn the old you; “the messy middle,” in which you shed habits and create new ones; and “the new beginning,” in which you unveil your fresh self.

The descriptions of “Day 2” and “The Messy Middle” pinpoint exactly what I am feeling right now. Anyone else?! 

If you are feeling like this too, I want to encourage you to consider harnessing the “fresh start” September provides to make some changes to your routines. Shaking up our routines won’t solve big problems, but a few changes could help make our day-to-day lives a bit more enjoyable. A few changes here and there may be just what we need to get re-energized, re-inspired and add some pep to our step. For example, you could:

• Set your alarm to get up early and enjoy a cup of coffee by yourself
• Start adding in some daily movement that feels right to you
• Purchase a new cookbook you’ve been coveting and pick delicious meals to make weekly
• Schedule a weekly phone date with a friend or loved one
• Begin a just-for-fun creative project

For me, the change I am going to make this month is establishing a routine for the end of the workday. In the absence of a commute/being surrounded by other people, I’m having trouble unplugging and giving my mind a break. I’m finding that going right from working to scrolling social media to watching TV isn’t what I need to rest and recharge for the next day and it’s contributing to an overall feeling of exhaustion by the end of the week. I’m not sure exactly what this new routine will look like, but I will keep you posted! 

So, what do you think? Do you think you will adopt a new habit this September? 

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:  

• What are your tiny anchors? Changing up your routine doesn’t have to just include big shifts. I so related to this author’s excitement for her morning cup of coffee. To her, it’s more than coffee. It’s “a tiny anchor, lending a bit of certainty and familiarity to uncertain days. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference.” Do you have little anchors of joy that infuse some certainty and familiarity into your day-to-day life right now? If not, what are a few tiny anchors you could start incorporating this month? 
• I am currently loving this belt bag! After seeing so many people walking around Chicago with belt bags recently, I decided to give this one from Lululemon a try. A few weeks later and I can confidently report that I LOVE it. I’ve been using mine so much that I actually got one for my mom too! It is so efficient and functional, stays in place as you move about and fits everything you need. I have the “Misty Pink” color that is still available online, and my mom was able to find the black version in-person at a store. 

• Tips for taking a vacation without leaving home. I just took the past week off work for a “staycation” of my own, so I related to a lot of the tips included in this article. Prior to this year, I would have been shocked at the idea of using vacation days for something other than a trip to see friends or family, but I have to say, the staycation was incredibly enjoyable and relaxing! If you are treating yourself to a staycation soon (and I highly recommend doing so if you can!), I hope you find some inspiration from this article. 
• I started reading this book this weekend and I am hooked. Described as Devil Wears Prada (because of the toxic, stressful work environment) meets Suits (lots of drama among incredibly smart/driven lawyers), this book captured my attention from the very beginning. It may be so captivating because the author is actually an insider… she is a practicing lawyer that writes under a pseudonym! How interesting! 

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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