Don’t let negativity get the best of you! Take your Monday by storm, a storm of confidence and optimism.
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Today is Monday and it is going to be wonderful. Uh-oh. Did I already lose your attention? Please allow me to elaborate. You see, I told myself last night that today was going to be a really great day, one of the best days of the entire week. No, it is not my birthday or a national holiday, just your usual ol’ Monday sitting center stage waiting for you to give it some applause.
Call me crazy, but I have to say that Monday has a really bad rap. Of all the days of the week, it is the one day that gets the most negativity. I believe there are ways to turn that around so you have a more productive Monday and a more energetic week.
I started to make simple changes in my everyday life that helped boost me to have a healthier and stronger mindset on Monday.
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You see, Mondays were not always my favorite day either. I used to wish there was some magically added extra day between Sunday and Monday. Or, when three-day weekends rolled around, I would think that I had died and gone to the best week heaven. Not having to face that dreadful Monday morning always sounded so delicious to me. Then I got to thinking, would we all feel the same way about Tuesday if Monday turned into a day off? Are we automatically programmed to be unhappy when it comes to starting a new week? There has to be something underneath why so many people wish Monday would just go away.
A while ago, I decided to challenge myself, the way I thought about starting a new week and the way I looked at Monday. To be honest, a lot of my negative thinking had to do with my job. For me, changing where I worked had much to do with my motivation and outlook. A dear friend once told me, “You have to love two things in life: Your mattress and your job, because that is where you spend the most time.” I had gotten the mattress part down, but I was destined to reinvent my career. I know that changing jobs is a big deal, but I discovered the more I enjoyed what I did at work, the easier it was for me to jump feet first into Monday. However, transitioning into a new position (that you love!) takes time, so I started to make simple changes in my everyday life that helped boost me to have a healthier and stronger mindset on Monday.
Here are a few helpful tips on how to rewire your brain and start thinking of Monday as more of a kick start than a slow start.
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Turn Up The Tunes
Treating yourself to a specially brewed pot of Joe will give you a reward at the wee hours of the morning.
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Let’s begin with that morning drive to work. If you live in a metropolitan area like LA, New York, Boston or Philly, then I am probably singing to your choir. Traffic is the absolute worst and can really drain a person’s energy. Definitely not the best way to start off your day. Unfortunately, we have to come to peace that rush hour traffic is not ever going to change. Everyone has a place to be, and the roads are not going to suddenly widen and make room for all the other cars. Don’t engage in what you can’t control. Traffic is not going anywhere. Instead of transforming into a road rage monster, why don’t you preplan your bumper-to-bumper experience by organizing a custom feel good playlist? Did you know that singing to your favorite tunes boosts endorphins?
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Add Kindness To Your Coffee
If you get an early start to your Monday, stop at your favorite coffee or tea hot spot. Treating yourself to a specially brewed pot of Joe will give you a reward at the wee hours of the morning. A once-a-week gift to yourself won’t break the bank either. See, you are already off to the right start. I also suggest going inside the actual shop rather than a drive thru so you can engage with a barista or other customers in line. Exchanging some kind of smile or friendly dialogue will add an extra shot of happy energy to your day. You will be surprised how nice it feels when you hold the door open for somebody, say “How are you?” and wait for an answer, or even allow yourself time to sit for a moment to relax and actually taste your coffee. A few minutes of “meditation” in this way has never hurt anyone before.
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Stop The Complaining
I continue to have a love/not-so-love relationship with Facebook as I’ve lately found it to be a sounding board for complainers.
Save your best outfit for Monday. It will help you feel more confident (along with showing your coworkers you have a brilliant sense of style) and will make those Monday blues feel like last season.
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There is so much negativity running through people’s Facebook feeds it is nuts! If you are one of those people who must log on to the social network site as soon as you get to work (I don’t recommend that), than why don’t you post something with a more positive message? Writing something like, “Ugh. I wish I was still in bed” or “This weekend was not long enough” has a negative and un-motivating vibration to it. It not only sends out a lackluster update to your “friends” that you sort of hate your life, and a signal to your mind that you are in the dumps. What I’ve done is unfollowed people who enjoy sharing their misery and rather used social media as a tool to get more encouraging messages. You know that saying, “You are who you hang out with?” Well, we might as add: “You are who you follow” to that too.
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Wear Your Favorite Outfit
Ladies and gentleman this is one of my favorite tips. I know I will get some eye rolls for this one but please hear me out. Save your best outfit for Monday. It will help you feel more confident (along with showing your coworkers you have a brilliant sense of style) and will make those Monday blues feel like last season. A killer outfit makes us feel good. When we look good, we feel good and there is no better day to show off that fashionably goodness than Monday.
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Change Up Your Co-Worker Conversation
Listen, there is typically one Debbie Downer in every office. Try not to engage in conversation with that person. The typical question most people get on a Monday morning from their near by coworkers is, “How was your weekend?” Most often, people ask that question as a standard way of politeness, but there are those few who use it as a gateway question so they can respond with all their personal drama. Avoid engaging in a low energy dialogue that is going to take your AM high to a zero. Monday back at work should be fueled with drive, determination, optimism and a willingness to succeed.
Not every day is going to be perfect, but I am not asking for perfect. I challenge you to start this Monday off with a more positive bang so you allow yourself to maneuver through the week with clarity, control and consistency.
From me to you – Have an awesome day! I know you will!!
With Love,
Matt Jacobi
This article was originally published on MariaSchriver.com.
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Photo: Getty Images