Mondays and Baby Steps
30 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in because it's a keri thing to say
I’m not usually a huge fan of Mondays, but today, I decided to start my day with a different approach.
Instead of looking for reasons to help my theory that Mondays are always horrible, I decided that I would start looking for reasons why Mondays are manageable. (Notice I didn’t say Reasons Why I Love Mondays…baby steps, baby steps).
This may sound like a no-brainer idea. Obviously, there are two ways to look at every situation: either glass half-full or half-empty.
I grew up being asked the question over and over again. “See this cup? Is it half filled with water or half empty?”
I’d shrug, say “half filled with water,” and then be congratulated and told that I was an optimistic person.
Okay then…
I never really understood how looking at a wet cup determined what kind of person I was, but I rolled with the punches.
As the years passed, my thinking matured, and I grew up, I started to understand the value of optimism.
Of how it can affect your mood, your day, and even the people around you.
And now, when somebody asks if I’m usually optimistic or pessimistic, I can answer without hesitation.
I’m pretty optimistic.
Except when it comes to Mondays.
I don’t know why Mondays have the reputation of being horrific, but they do. And I’ve never liked them. They’re the wake up call that the weekend is over; time to get back to work.
But today, as I said, I woke up thinking “Today is going to be okay. I’m not going to look at it as a burden, but as an opportunity.”
Baby steps. I was determined to see Monday as a half-filled cup of water.
So, when I started the day off with a late start, I didn’t sigh and give up all hopes. When a headache [the size of Texas!] wouldn’t go away, I bit my lip, didn’t complain, and ignored it’s existence.
Baby steps.
Baby steps.
Mondays try to teach me something.
Look for the bright side to every situation. Your attitude tells a lot about your character. It tells a lot about how you choose to handle situations.
Are you half full or half empty? When the challenges come, does your view of the things around you change or stay the same?
Is it easier to be an optimistic person when happy things are all around you? Absolutely!
But when the “Mondays” of your life come around, don’t neglect your optimism for pessimism just because that’s the way it’s always been.
Just because everybody hates Mondays, doesn’t mean you have to, too.
Look for the little joys; the baby steps.
Because when you do, a late start or a horrible headache doesn’t just become an obstacle, it becomes an opportunity.
