Happy 2018! I love the new year don’t you? For me January brings with it the inspiration for possibility. In the mid winter mid spring time of year, January gives a hint of the good that is about to come when the spring returns. Kind of nature’s spoiler if you like. Especially as today when I look out of my window the pale, golden light, blue skies and frost dapple grass gives me a inspiration boost everytime I look outside. Even the air smells fresher! And although it was madness considering the temperatures here in Jutland I even opened the window for an hour to fill my office with the smell, spring is on it’s way.
However if like me you do get caught up in the inspiration of the new year, you have probably started, or nearly started to commit to actions, new year’s resolutions and plans for the new you in the new year. It all seems so easy to do at this time of year right? New beginnings are around us , new calendars on our desks with empty pages and unlimited potential. It’s great. However often you might find that with all that potential once january has passed that the inspiration light for the new you, or the new goals starts to dim in February, drivel into non existent in March and by April is as real and tangible as the Easter bunny. And why is that?
Well there are many articles out there explaining this phenomenon. However summed up generally the main challenge is committing to action. No, no, don’t run away I’m not trying to make you feel bad about it – honestly. It is easy to commit to a lifestyle change when it is all new and shiny (don’t I know that one, I have a stack of old diaries and unfulfilled goals to prove it!) The challenge is on the grey days, when the world is grey, miserable, the to do list is never ending and you naturally retreat to the duvet. It’s understandable, technically it’s primitively natural. I digress. The point I am attempting to make is that in order to commit and to keep committed to a lifestyle change maybe what we need is a constant inspiration boost to keep us on track. Kind of an all year round January feeling. Just imagine if every day or at least every week felt as inspiring as the start of the new year wouldn’t it be so amazingly easy to stick to our resolutions? Of course it would.
Now unlike in the movies blue fairies with fix it wands and happy chirpy animal helpers don’t pop up whenever we need an inspiration (and if they did I am sure we would all prioritize our desires a little differently). As is always true if we want a job done properly we have to do it ourselves. And luckily the gods (well it might have been the romans or the greeks actually )gave us a gift perfectly designed to help us with maintaining our inspiration levels. Wait for it… it’s MONDAYS!
No I kid you not. Monday is un-advertise hidden January we need. Monday is the start of every week. Fact. The day before Monday is hopefully a day of rest. Same as January. 9 times out of 10 Monday is the start of a fresh week with no mistakes in it. Now Monday’s often get a bad rap. The ugh back to work day after a free weekend. However if seen from a different perspective Monday can also be an exciting new beginning. You maybe thinking yeah right however I speak to you as an ex-monday hater and yey-monday convert. For me monday brings the January inspiration with it 99% of the time. I love Mondays. From shifting my perspective and with a few conscious habit changes Monday now brings me closer to my goals than any other day of the week. Monday actually supports me to commit to whatever it is I need to or want to commit to. Shockingly Monday now makes life much more enjoyable and my commitment to action more dedicated. And that has been the same in a dead end job, in education and as an entrepreneur.
So how to do this? How do you take Monday’s and turn them around to becoming one of the best tools supporting you to commit to action and make the lifestyle changes you dreamed of on New Year’s Eve? Here’s my guide to making Monday’s become as inspiring as January – enjoy!
Positive from the word go!
Start your Monday positively. No matter what. Stand up out of bed and tell the world “Today is going to be a great day!” I mean it. Out loud. Hands on hips. In pjs or your birthday suit, shout it out to the world. You will feel daft at first however after a few tries it becomes fun and a great mood lifter to start any day.
Plan before you peek
(Nothing rude here I promise.) Instead of turning on the phone, checking Facebook or your emails first thing in the morning, check in with yourself first. Don’t give the excuse you don’t have the time. All you need is five minutes to plan your week, see where you will make time for your goals and yourself and then get on with it. I once read that when we check our emails first thing in the morning we risk not doing what we want to do but what someone else wants us to do. I tried it and it’s true. On the days I opened mails last I was in control of my day. Open them first and I was bogged down by everyone else all day. Lesson learned. Be in charge of your day and your week, after all it’s your life!
(Oh and don’t let your planning take more than 10 minutes. 10 minutes planning is ample to kick start your week and then get off an go and do your week. 10% planning 90% action is always the best policy.)
Evaluate last week
Look back over your progress last week and see how it was going with your goals, your life. Basically check in with yourself. Drop the guilt about what you didn’t do and look at what you need to do. If you got demotivated or off track last week, what is it you can feel you need to get back your inspiration? Identify what you need and implement it as soon as humanly possible. If in doubt I highly recommend the kitchen disco as a winner. Stupidly loud Abba (insert cheesy band of choice) and boogie will bring your energy up whenever you need it. Inspiration after all is just a raising of your energy.
Have a success experience
To keep committed and inspired we need to succeed. Set goals for yourself on the monday that are achievable and measurable. Today I have writing this article, do the washing and plan my business year. So far two out of three and it’s not 17:00 yet- Go Me! If in doubt I always fall back on washing clothes, I love emptying the basket and throwing it in the machine. Achievable no matter where my energy is at. I have a friend who cleans for a success experience. We are much more motivated when we feel successful so make yourself succeed at something on a Monday.
Clean the slate and then do
Monday is the day to clean the slate. As a child I always loved the Anne of Green Gables quote “Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it”. Monday is a great time to remember this. You cannot change last week. It is over. The only thing you have control over is your now. So do something. However big or small (actually preferably small) do something today that is a step towards your lifestyle change. If you do something every monday you are going to eventually make that change.
Mondays can be magical. It really is your choice. On Mondays you can decide to make more effort than any other day of the week to start out in the right way and give yourself the inspiration you need to commit – be your own blue farie. Now I am aware that some of you maybe have a different day when your week starts. That day is your weekly January. Using these five steps will keep your motivation and make it easier to commit to action every week and by July you will find that you are still on track with your new year’s resolutions . With the added bonus of a guaranteed, inspiring, effective and fantastic day once a week. Who wouldn’t love that!
Let me know in the comments how you have turned your mondays around
Have a great week, re:root in yourself and enjoy your journey!
Kick start your 2018 with my Holistic life coaching January offer– available until January 31st only !!
