It happens almost daily. I walk into my office and the smoker’s corner has a gentleman that is looking a bit depressed. Actually, he is to the point that if he pulled out a rope and started tying a knot, I would assume it would soon be fastened to a rafter. I ask him how his day is going, and at least once per week he says something like, “It’s Monday.”
He says this like I should understand what he means. And I do, though I do not agree with his assertion. We as a society have learned to understand what someone means when they say, “It’s been a day.” or “Just another Monday.” We have learned to hate Mondays together.
Let me be the first to admit that I bought into this belief system years ago. Weekends are a blast, and Mondays mean the fun weekend is done. Mondays typically mean that you need to go to school or work or somewhere not entirely up to you. But there lies the rub. You do get to decide. At least, after a certain number of years of getting some groundwork in your education laid. You get to decide where and when you will work. You may have some outside forces that dictate what you can and cannot do to attain what you want. Really, if you wanted to sell sandals on the beach part time and do whatever else the rest of the time, you could probably make it work. The whatever else may not include buying yachts or eating steak every day, but your work/life balance would be incredible.
The job or business you have right now you have because you decided to have it. At some point you thought this was the best course of action for you. And now, on this Monday, you continue to tell yourself that someday it will get better as long as you keep the dream alive by hating your current situation. Just like everybody else, right? Let’s all hate Mondays together and we’ll all someday have a great life.
Pass. No thanks. I feel like with a tweak and maybe a solid kick in the shorts you could actually enjoy Mondays. And Tuesdays. Don’t even get me started on hump day. My goodness, you could actually enjoy the majority of your waking moments, regardless of the calendar.
You may think that I am about to pump you up and give you some solid motivational medicine. Not today. Not on a Monday. All I will offer to you is that you decide today to enjoy today. That’s it. Your enjoyment is a decision and you have the ability to decide whether you will enjoy today or be depressed today or feel angry today or sad today. Purely your choice. Oddly, knowing this is a choice makes the decision easy. Not realizing you have a choice makes the decision for you. Without knowing you have this choice you will blame outside factors very often for your feelings.
So let’s decide to like Mondays. You can love them if you want, but let’s start with the decision to like them and think about all that can and will get done today that could not get done on the weekend. What is great about today? Can you breathe? Do you have all of your limbs? How about air conditioning, food, friends and a working brain? Life is grand, Mondays are great and you get to decide what level you will enjoy your time here on this earth.
The best part is seeing what you used to be when you see the depressed smoking guy. Who would you rather be?
James Kademan is a Business Coach for Draw In Customers Business Coaching in Madison, Wisconsin. When he isn’t enjoying Mondays, he is busy guiding entrepreneurs to success in business and beyond. He blogs successfully to the world at www.drawincustomers.com. If you are considering hiring a business coach, take a moment to call James at (608)210-2221. You may have some decisions to make. Choose wisely and quickly.
