I used to dread Mondays. Like break down in a sweat have a tummy ache kinda dread. I didn’t know what to do. My weekend consisted of only one productive day as I spent the Sunday in bed or walking aimlessly around the house.
I tried a lot of things. Exercise which helped a lot, reading, affirmations, cooking and baking. And they all worked…. when I was busy. The minute my head hit the pillow the restlessness and anxiety of the following day would sneak in again and I would be back to square one.
The drive to work the following day would be dreadful. I was usually always late (I know, usually and always). The traffic was and still is atrocious. Absolutely dreadful. It didn’t help my case, made it worse in fact. I would get to work already sweaty and anxious. You can imagine how my day would go with me already ‘anxy’ like that and my whole week would continue like that.
I continued like that for a number of years, hating my life. Thinking and blaming my job for my anxiety and life I didn’t like.
The last straw was when I looked back at the past with regret. I couldn’t remember the last time I was truly happy and I couldn’t have any of that. I got fed up. Tired of being stressed and anxious every day. But I still didn’t know how to ‘fix’ it.
5 Ways to fall in love with Monday
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Be thankful: Gratitude, thankfulness is a powerful thing. Absolutely powerful. Start practicing thankfulness daily. You don’t have anything to be thankful about? Did you wake up in the morning? Be thankful for that. A lot of people did not make it through the night, you did. Be thankful for that. Did you have breakfast? Or choose not to? Well, be thankful for that. A lot of people do not have food. Did you shower? Be thankful for that. How about work? Do you have a job? Well, be thankful for that. I am sure you get where I am going with this. You have tonnes to be thankful for. As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, be thankful. Continue being thankful throughout the day and you will see your day get better and better.
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One day at a time: Matthew 6:34 says ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ Like I said, my days used to be filled with dread. Most of the dread was of course borrowed from the future. I worried about how things would turn out, worried I would not be able to do certain things. Worried about things I had no control over. This was one of the verses that helped me stop worrying so much. My husband always says, ‘worrying about things you cannot change makes you go through the pain and dread twice.’ Stop worrying about the future, if you can do something about it, then do it. Do not worry about it, robbing yourself of the joy of now. If there is nothing you cannot do about it, what good will worrying about it do? Live for the moment, one day at a time.
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Take care of yourself: The second greatest commandment is ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. As yourself. Not more than yourself, as yourself. This means that for you to love someone else well, you need to be loving to yourself. I have heard a lot of people quoting this but steering far from teaching people to love themselves and take care of themselves. There is no way you can know how to love someone else if you do not know how to love. And loving and knowing how to love starts with loving yourself. Take time out for yourself. Love your self, love your body. Treat yourself to nice healthy meals, exercise, a bit of pamper here and there. Love your mind, read good books, read. Listen to good positive things.
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Surround yourself with positivity: There is so much negativity in the world. One need not look too far. If you do not guard your heart and your mind you might find yourself struggling to stay positive. Fill yourself with such positivity that when the negativity comes there will be no room for it in your mind, soul and life. If you have friends who are always complaining and whining, take a break from them. Listening to positive messages, watch positive things. Speak positivity into your life. Speak only positive things.
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Play: This is one thing that a lot of adults have forgotten to do. Play. We think playing is only for children or immature adults. Lack of play makes for dull adults (and children) if you ask me. I forgot to play once and I was super dull and sully and stressed. Now I make sure I have time to play. I look forward to my playtime. When that time comes I simply take off my shoes and play like no one is watching. Of course people will be watching, but when I am playing I have no time to worry about what people are thinking about me. At the end of every play time I feel so invigorated and so alive.
