Most of us begin our Monday mornings taking inventory of the tasks, action items and to-do’s for the upcoming week. There’s a reason why it’s termed as a ‘Manic Monday‘ – we try to catch up to all the things we have to accomplish in the week even before it has begun.
But lately I have resolved to using Mondays as a day of endless possibilities, a day to inspire myself to mindfully make a positive impact. I’ve practiced these “Mindful Mondays” over the past few months now and it’s been absolutely delightful to start off my week with such positivity. I complain less about the world, I’m more optimistic, I’m happier, I smile more, I am less stuck up, I’ve learned to simplify my life, I’m more courteous, and I feel good about myself and the quality of my mind.
My intent is not to brag. My intent is to help you consider a new Monday morning routine – a ‘Mindful Monday’ routine. Granted, we all have unique circumstances and these ‘Mindful Monday’ routines will not magically change everything we have wanted to change about us, our lives, our jobs, or the world around us. But you can start with a small change – as simple as exchanging a kind-hearted smile with a random passer-by on the street – and you will be delighted to see how the response affects the quality of your mind. No one’s perfect but we need to motivate ourselves to become better human beings and the little weekly successes will keep us inspired for future Mondays.
I’ve only been through this routine for the past few months now and still have a long way to go. I find that a cheery Monday sets the tone for the entire week i.e. I’m no longer racing through to Friday. Life’s too short to start your Monday thinking about when will it be Friday again. Being mindful about the quality of your thoughts and making small changes in the way you start your mornings will soon become a habit. After all, it’s the small things that make a big difference!
Have a Happy Monday everyone :)!
P.S. I will be starting a new series to capture my Mindful Monday experiences with the hope of inspiring you to join me and share your experiences. So stay tuned!
Bhavna Hinduja on Being Simple, Sustainable & Mindful 
Focusing time to becoming a better human being, and attempting to be courteous and kind to others has tragically been overshadowed. It is often trampled by relatively less important ambitions and false senses of self importance. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Thanks for the kind words Dave. I would love to learn how you remind yourself and train your mind to be mindful and kind to others.
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Bhavna – I’m so glad you found my blog, because now I’ve found yours. I love the Mindful Monday idea! Instead of starting off the week in a rush, trying to pick-up the pieces from where we left off before the weekend, changing your perspective changes everything. Thank you for this!
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I failed to mention that I have now added an “all day” event to Mondays on my calendar that says “Today is Mindful Monday!” just in case it slips my mind.
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Kate: I’m glad you found your way here. The All Day reminder is a great way to make sure you’re constantly reminded. I look forward to sharing notes with you. We don’t realize how beautiful the world around us is, and how wonderful people are and end up focusing on the not-so-pleasant things. I’ve found the Mindful Monday routine has helped me realign my mind to focus on the positives and ignore the negatives. Thanks for the Pingback too 🙂
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Hi there! I agree with walnutsnpears! i love your blog and wouldnt have found it if it hadnt been for your visiting mine!
i also love the idea of focusing on the positives…. I often get carried away with all the negative, unsustainable aspects of our lives and forget about the good happy stuff!!
🙂
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Thanks for visiting! I loved the infographic on your Water Scarcity post. It certainly puts things into perspective even when you pour yourself a cup of coffee! Look forward to reading more from you.
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