Over the course of our history, Monday's have become synonymous with bullshit. Monday meant the end of what was otherwise a glorious affair, and the start of 5 days worth of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Now I'll be honest, growing up as kid, I never saw Monday as a bad thing. Sure I would have loved to be posted in my bedroom and just chilled with Zooboomafoo all day (I didn't have cable growing up. I did the best I could). However, for the most part, I actually kind of enjoyed Monday. Monday brought with it school, which was the place that housed a good chunk of my friends. Monday was the day I could come in, and swap stories with everyone else, as I compared my previous weekend plans with theirs. Sometimes I came out victorious, and other times I fell flat (there was also a great deal of exaggeration on my part, e.g., I went to Disneyland and got on all the rides). Monday was the day you could stunt on everybody by showing off the new outfit you got over the weekend, or show off the new kicks your dad got you since it was his weekend to have you. Monday was the day for bragging. Monday was the day for catching up. In some cases, Monday served as an escape from having to stay around house all day, and might prove your only way to socialize. Even to this day I can't say I hate Monday, for those very reasons listed (minus the made up Disneyland stories).
However, as I've entered the truths that come with adulthood, I very much understand the angst that a Monday can bring. The mere thought of trudging through another week full of deadlines and interacting with people out of duty, can be taxing, to say the least. With the jobs I work, where I am required to exert and mix my energy with the public, that can definitely takes its toll. Monday means your you time, becomes tragically reduced. It means your best friend for the next few days may not come in the form of an actual human, but in the form of your favorite show on Hulu, and a bottle of something strong (Riesling does the trick for me. Every time). The point is, for all the good a Monday can have, the goodness is often swept under the rug. That's something I'd like to change.
A few Mondays back, I came across a video from a blogger names Charity Israel. Charity's blog focuses on spiritual enlightenment, and developing a closer relationship with God. While I have yet to fully go over all her blog has to offer, I have become an avid fan of her Instagram videos. The post that originally caught my attention, was a video in which Charity urged people to render their steps to God. While the video definitely spoke to my saved and sanctified spirit, the takeaway for me was simple: I need to make a game plan. See, while I may not be the guy who hates Mondays, I can't say I always go running towards it with open arms. Because I often have to work on the weekends, it's hard for me to view Monday in any light other than another pearl added to the string. However, despite my so-so attitude towards it, Monday has been, and will continue to be, the universal start date for the beginning of the work week. And it is because of that reason, that I felt I needed to reclaim the glory that a Monday can offer.
My first step into making Monday my bitch, was to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish by the end of the week. I started last week by setting a financial goal for myself. I had a fixed number in my mind of how much I wanted to save, and set forth doing as much as I could to avoid unnecessary spending. Low and behold, I managed to meet my goal, and then promptly spent it at festival on a drink a some pork tostadas (which I never knew existed, but I'm so glad I am now in the loop). The point is, I've taken Ms. Israel's (and God's) advice, and decided to make it applicable to my own life. By making a game plan. By setting goals for myself, I was able to create something to strive for. Every day that I was able to save a few bucks, was a small victory. It gave me the boost that I needed to keep pushing. And Monday served as my launching pad.
Now in reference to Charity's post, I acknowledge I cannot always got at it alone. While self-motivation starts and ends with an individual, seeking help to stay on course is never a bad thing. Going back to last week, I stumbled across a few articles that gave me some great quick tips that proved useful in helping me keep on track. There were a lot of great facts in each of them, but the biggest linking factor between them made it clear there was one important thing that could prove very helpful: Write it down. For whatever reason, there is something about seeing a task written down on paper, that suddenly makes everything more concrete. I know for me, I have developed the habit of making lists, writing down as much as I can so I can have that visual reminder of what it is I need to get done. Some people create vision boards. Other's have planners. The point is, when I do write things down, I've noticed I tend to get more things done. I've also noticed that making lists in it own way, is the best way I can find to putting my intentions out to the universe. It's almost as if there's a little person looking over my shoulder going "ok, got it. What can I do to help." This is what I've done to help keep steadied, and so far, it's worked.
I am under no false pretenses as I set out on this newfound mission to conquer Monday. No matter how hard I try, there will be days where Monday will reveal itself as the trap-faced bitch it truly is. However, I do believe that with guided practice, my goal of accomplishing, well...my goals, can come to fruition. I have full faith that I can illicit the change I want to see. That I can stand on the edge of the Titanic, and have my moment (minus the sinking). That I can find true happiness within myself, and hopefully, Mondays just a little less shitty along the way.