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Mondays Don’t Have to Suck!!!

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Happy Monday!

I know no matter how much i try to convince you that Mondays are cool you probably won’t believe me.  However,  I do hope that you guys will at least agree that they don’t have to be awful.  It’s all about the perspective.   Yeah, the weekend is over and for most of us it is back to work and school, but its also the being of a new work week.  Can we agree that there is something positive about the idea of a new beginning?

Instead of feeling down about Monday lets look at Monday from the following perspective:

Mission – Create a mission for the week.

Opportunity – What opportunities do you foresee for the week?

New Start -If things have not been going your way, use Monday as your fresh start and take a new approach.

Do Over – Did something go wrong last week? Do you need to create a new impression?  After a few days away from the situation give yourself a Do Over and start the week with a different attitude.

Action – What have you been putting off. As fellow blogger Janeane would say, Monday is the perfect time to Take Action Now.

Yolo – You Only Live Once.  Life is too short for all work and no play. On Mondays we set #MakeItHappenMonday goals, but they don’t have to be all serious and business like.  Monday is a great day to plan some fun things for the rest of the week.

What is your Mission for the week? Are there any unique Opportunities presenting themselves this week? Do you need a Do Over,  New Start,  or to Take Action this week? What awesome, fun, and joyful plans do you have for the week, YOLO?

P.S. Don’t forget to take action and purchase your tickets to the Chasing Joy Brunch & Learn, #CJBL!

4 Ways to Avoid Coming Down With A Case Of The Mondays

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Happy Monday!  I hope you had a good weekend.

I am currently reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. It was the June selection for my book club. We met and talked about it last week.  I’ll be talking about my takeaways from the book on Girlfriendology so stay tuned for that.  During our book club conversation the topic of Mondays came up.

Mondays are probably the least liked day of the week.  For most of us it signals the end of fun and leisure of the weekend and  back to the routine of work and school.  So how do we stay happy and Joyful and avoid coming down with a case of the Mondays?  Here are a few tips:

  1. Don’t think about Monday on Sunday.  Many of us start thinking about all that Monday has in store for us before Monday is even here.  We completely lose part of Sunday because we have already started filling with dread and anxiety dreading the start of the week.  Thinking about it ahead of time does not change the circumstance that indeed, Monday follows Sunday every single week.  All you are doing is losing part of your enjoyment.  Make every effort to stay in the moment on Sunday.  While there may be certain things you have to do on Sunday  (laundry, food prep, etc.) to prepare for the next week try to complete those tasks without thinking much about what the next day will be like or what you are worried about occurring in the week ahead.
  2. Find something positive about Mondays.  Not thinking about Monday is easier said than done.  When you do find yourself doing it and feel your Joy fleeing your body try to turn the thought around.  Look at the bright side and think of at least 1 think good about Monday.  It could be something specific about that particular Monday or it could be something that applies to every Monday.  For me most of my team is off on Monday including my supervisor.  So when negative thoughts about Monday find their way into my consciousness my next thought is usually, at least it will be quiet and she won’t be there.  Try to find at least one thing that brings about positive feelings related to Monday.
  3. Make Monday Funday.  OK that may be a bit far fetched but you can create ways to make Monday feel a little more fun.  For a long time I would always wear my nicest outfits on Mondays.  This would help me to feel pretty.  Often when scheduling lunch dates with friends/co-workers I’ll intentionally schedule them for Mondays.  The lunches would give me something positive to look forward to about Monday.
  4. Give Monday a new meaning.  For a long time now on the Chasing Joy Facebook Page and Twitter  we have repurposed Monday as a day to set goals.  We call it Make it Happen Monday (#MakeItHappenMonday on Twitter and Instagram). Instead of thinking about how much Monday is shocking, how I wish I did not have to get up early, and how it would be so much more fun if it were still the weekend, I spend Monday thinking about what I want to accomplish during the week.  I also feel very inspired when I read what everyone else posts for their goals for the week.
I hope that one or more of the above helps your Monday be a little more Joyful. What helps you get through the day and avoid coming down with a case of the Mondays?

Flashback Friday: A case of the of Mondays

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It’s that time again! Happy Friday!!! This weeks Flashback, A Case of the Mondays, is another one of my all time favorite posts. Have you ever come down with A Case of the Mondays?   Check out the post and tell me how you avoid coming down with them and then come hang out with me  every Mondays on Facebook and Twitter for #MakeitHappenMonday 🙂

Now it’s time to LINK UP!!! If you are not familiar with the Flashback here is the deal. Flashback Friday is where we Flashback to our older blog posts and link up! You can also post a link to your Flashback post on the Chasing Joy Facebook Page. Flashback Friday is a great way to rediscover our earlier works and discover some new blogs. Just pick out your link and add it below. Use hashtags #FBF or #FlashbackFriday on twitter to advertise your Flashback post.

Add your link below and be sure to check out AT LEAST TWO other Flashback posts. I suggest the two listed before your post to make it easy. Please leave a comment saying why you selected your Flashback post and what you thought about the other Flashback posts. I’m looking forward to reading all of your Flashbacks.

Don’t forget to grab the I am Chasing Joy and Flashback Friday buttons!

Make it Happen Mondays!!! – Reinventing Monday

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We are reinventing Mondays. We are not facing them with dread. We are facing them with optimism and pro-activity. We are setting goals that will allow us to have a Joy filled week and Making it Happen.

Here are my goals for this week:

Work: Get my emails under control, submit 3 things for my supervisor to review, and get caught up on the things I review for others.

Health: Not have carbs after 8:00pm and have some raw veggies daily

Personal: Schedule blood work and surgery for my dog. Formalize plans for Larchwood Reunion (if you are alumni please check out the invite and join us). Put together my kitchen chairs from IKEA.

Devil’s workshop goals: Research Volunteer opportunities.

We all know what to do, Avoid coming down with A Case of the Mondays, Beware Joy Thieves, focus on your goals and Make it Happen and have a Great Joyous week.

What are your goals for a Joy filled week??? Commit to them by putting them in writing here.

Make it Happen Mondays!!!

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Last Monday I posted a message to my Joy Chasers on Facebook reminding them to be careful not to come down with A Case of The Mondays. A Joy Chaser and friend replied that she liked to look at Mondays as “an opportunity to set short-term goals for the week and work through the week to achieve them.” This is such a great idea. I love Chasing Joy with you all because you offer such inspirational and positive, ideas and feed back.

Remember from my earlier post, Joy, Joy, Where Art Thou, or What are Thou?, The Merriam Webster definition of Joy is the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. When you accomplish a goal it means your ideas and actions where properly aligned to produce the out come you wanted. You have experienced success. You have achieved something you desire. You have grasped a little bit of Joy for yourself.

So, let take on Monday full force. Let’s set some short term goals and MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!

My goals are:

1. To not have carbs after 8:00 pm this week
2. To have some raw veggies every day this week
3. To write up two different documents for my supervisor’s review

What are your goals for the week???

A Case of the Mondays

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You know that feeling you get when you approach your work place on Monday morning. You feel the dread as you get closer. You start thinking of all the projects you did not finish on Friday, the emails, and voicemails that will be waiting for you. Oh how you wish you were still in bed. How did the weekend go so fast? How can it be Monday all ready? This is commonly known as having “a case of the Mondays”.

I felt myself coming down with a case of the Mondays this morning as I approached my building. However, I decided not today. To fight off the case of the Mondays I was coming down with. I started to think up all the reasons I should have a Joy filled Monday. Here is what I came up with.

I am happy this Monday because:

1. I woke up.
2. So did my pets (this is something you think about when you have and old dog and an old cat)
3. I awoke without pain or discomfort.
4. I woke up in a cool house (thanks to air conditioning) that I own, without fear of foreclosure or eviction.
5. I arrived safely to work without car trouble.
6. I have a decent job that allows me to provide for myself
7. I do not hate my job and enjoy the company of most of my co-workers.
8. My supervisor is off on Mondays so I can ease into my work week.
9. I can get back into my healthy eating and exercise routine (the weekend is always harder)
10. I am one day closer to the weekend 🙂

Take precaution against coming down with a case of the Mondays. Tell me, why is today a Joy Filled Monday (or Tuesday or whatever day you read this) for you???

Happy Monday!!!

Chasing Joy’s 3 Tips On How to Choose Goals

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Chasing Joy's 3 Tips On How to Choose GoalsHappy Monday!!!  Today I am giving you a suggestion on how to choose goals.

If you have been a Joy Chaser for a while you know I like goals setting on Mondays.  It is a great way to start thinking positively about the week.  We don’t come down with the Mondays around here.  Wanting to set goals and know how are two different things.  I have written about Smart Goals before so you know how to develop a goal.  The question is how do we decide on what our goals should be.  Here are three strategies on how to choose goals.

  1. Take a long look at your week, and your month.  What do you have to get done and by when? Do you have deadlines at work?  Are you expecting visitors? Do you have an upcoming event? Now track backwards.  Break down the things you need to get done into smaller tasks.  These tasks will make awesome goals.
  2. What have you been putting off?  We all have thing we like doing and things we put off until later. However, just because we put off doing things does not mean we forget about those things.  They hang around in the back of our minds nagging at us and stealing our joy.  So, think about something you may have been putting off and create a goal that either gets it done or makes a dent in it.
  3. Use the Stop, Start, Continue method.  I really liked this idea when I heard Lisa Nichols talk about it.  It is super simple.  Think of a 1 behavior or habit each that you want to stop,  you want to start, and you want to continue.  Now create goals around each of them.

I used these techniques to come up with the following goals for myself this week.

  1. clear off my bedside table and keep it clear
  2. drop off donations at Salvation Army
  3. cut my sugar

I hope you find these strategies on how to choose goals helpful.  Don’t forget to then make those goals SMART.

What goals did you choose for this week?

P.S.  Join the 90 day Joy Makeover Bootcamp starting March 1st to learn a ton of other strategies for Chasing Joy and building resilience.  

Do You Know What Brings You Joy?

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do-you-know-what-brings-you-joyMonday!!!!  Not many people’s favorite day of the week.   It does not bother me because I avoid coming down with a case of the Mondays.  One way I do that is by using Monday to figure out the week.  Most noteworthy that includes penciling in time for things that bring me joy.  Do you know what brings you joy?

The reason that I ask do you know what brings you joy is because a lot of us don’t.  I admit that I have been guilty of this in the past.  I do online dating and inevitably a new guy will ask me “what do you do for fun“.  I draw a blank every time, LOL. I don’t know why that question seems to cause that reaction. Fortunately, after a moment I am always able to answer the question listing a few things that give me joy. Similarly, when I asked a friend what she enjoyed doing she said “I don’t really know”.  Finally, through some back and fourth we did identify some things that gave her joy despite her initially not knowing.

If you are like most of us and draw a blank when asked what brings you joy, here are a few suggestions.  Feel free to adopt these for your own joyful pursuits or to disregard.  Afterall, we all have different ideas of fun.  These are just for inspiration.

Things that bring me joy:

Spending time with friends

Eating at fancy restaurants

Laying on the beach

Going to the Spa

Listening to Elvis Duran In The Morning Show

Staying at Hotels

Watching my favorite TV Shows in real time

Listening to Audio Books

Going to live sports

Shopping

Finishing a workout (Notice I said finishing and not actually doing the work out, LOL.)

I hope my list gives you inspiration to make your own list if you can’t readily explain what brings you joy.  Now that you have spent a few minutes thinking about it.  Take out your calendar and pencil in some time (or times) this week to engage in the activities that bring you joy.  This week I have listening to  Elvis Duran in the morning show penciled in for  the mornings Tuesday through Thursday.  I also have spending time with friends and eating at a fancy restaurant penciled in for Friday.

I will ask you again, do you know what brings you joy?   Now, I hope the answer is yes.  What joyful activities will you be penciling in for this week?

9 Goals To Help Deal With Feeling Helpless

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9 Goals To Help Deal With Feeling HelplessHappy Monday guys! I hope you are starting out the week on a positive note.  I am trying to but I must admit that it is a challenge.  No, I have not come down with a case of the Mondays.  My mom has not been feeling well and I am dealing with that helpless feeling.  Don’t you hate that?  I know to keep praying and trusting God and I also know there are things that I should focus on when life sucks and when life feels out of control.  So, I will take my own advice to deal with feeling helpless.

I am setting some goals this week that will help me to take care of myself while dealing with feeling helpless.

  1. I will continue to watch what I eat. No eating my feelings!
  2. I will walk on the treadmill today, go for walks during work, and go to Zumba Friday.
  3. I will communicate with my therapist every day this week (Yes, I’ve gone back to therapy.  More on that another day)
  4. I will seek out things that make me laugh.
  5. I will do a little bit of cleaning each day.
  6. I will practice the scriptures I’m memorizing every day.
  7. I will distract myself from negative thoughts by any means necessary.   Mostly likely by reading, playing candy crush, and texting with friends.
  8. I will be wearing my St. Patrick’s Day attire this week.
  9. I will celebrate my 36th birthday!!!!!

That’s right my birthday is this month.  I happen to be one of those people who loves birthdays.  I love my birthday and celebrating other people’s birthdays too.  That should be a highlight of this week despite feeling helpless.

I’m sure you have been in situations where you have struggled with feeling helpless.  How did you take care of yourself during that time?  What do you think of my goals for this week?

Monday Goal Setting and T-Shirt Giveaway Announcement!!!

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Happy Monday!!!

No coming down with a Case of The Mondays!  Instead, let’s view today as a fresh start and set some goals for a joyful week.  Post your goals on social media using the #MakeitHappenMonday hashtag.

Here are some of my goals for the week.

Health

  • Work out 3 more days this week.
  • Eat veggies with lunch and dinner every day.
  • Start getting ready for bed at 11pm.

Blogging

Did you see my first Blogging Goal?  I am about to cross that off the list right now.  Drumroll please……………

The two winners of a fabulous, one of a kind, Chasing Joy original design, No Negaative Self-Talk T-shirt are…
Mary Ann and Alisha
Congrats Ladies!!!!
The winners have 3 days to claim their prizes.  Failure to claim will result in another winner being drawn at random.
If you did not win a T-Shirt you can still purchse one from the Chasing Joy Shop.

  

It feel’s good to cross that off.  I love crossing things off of my to do list.

What goals do you have for the week?  Do you write out a to do list each week?

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