Monday Motivation: it's Okay to be Excited
This article was originally published on May 4, 2020 at https://gritdaily.com/monday-motivation-excitement/
Monday motivation, we need it, let’s go! We see you, struggling to get your day started and in need of a pick-me-up to launch your week on the right foot. Studies show that your morning mood affects your productivity all day. Grit Daily is here to get your work week off to a good start. Pump your fists – it’s time for Monday Motivation!
Subdued excitement
First thing’s first, let’s kick off our Monday motivation column with an acknowledgement to the princess who inspired two generations of girls to be brave, strong and not live predestined by stereotypes. Which princess is that, you’re asking? Princess Leia, of course! May the fourth be with you today and always.
There’s been a noticeable uptick in the collective mood of the country now that the weather has warmed, the trees have blossomed, the sun has reappeared and it is as irresistible as ever. Yet we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, one that has battered and shattered hundreds of millions of American lives and billions of lives worldwide. In this context, how we express joy, excitement and those moments of fun and silliness have been subdued for months.
Monday motivation asks: is it wrong to show excitement?
People are expressing confusion and guilt, wondering if it is okay to be happy and excited about things when so much of the world is in turmoil. High school seniors have been hit particularly hard. They’ve been robbed of their rights of passage like prom night, yearbook signatures day and graduation. Given the current mandates around school closures, it is unlikely that these students will ever see each other again as the probability of students returning to school is diminishing by the day.
Many of our high school seniors have dreamed of getting into college. And many of them did. But, thousands of students will now take a gap year and defer acceptance because they can’t find a summer job, their parents may have lost their jobs and everyone is worried about being away from home under intense circumstances like the one’s we’ve faced with COVID-19. Students are confused and wondering if they are “allowed” to be excited about college.
Monday motivation understands that commitment traditions, like decorating your bed with college merchandise and in the school colors of the college that you’ve chosen are temporarily suspended. That sucks! A lot of things do right now but that doesn’t mean that you have to stop living, feeling your feelings or hiding your excitement and joy. “Mamba on” as they say and find a way! The key is having empathy for others, showing heightened sensitivity and recognizing when your excitement may trigger others.
Monday motivation tips to be excited in an upside down world
#1 – let out your first yippee or hooray at home
Home should be a safe place to fully express how you feel. If you have siblings who aren’t going to share your excitement, then be aware of where you’re going to let your “Yippee!” ring out. Go into the backyard, basement, bathroom or your room and let it out. Cheer! Applaud yourself.
Let those endorphins make you tingle all over. Feel it and hold onto that feeling as long as you can. Embrace it. You deserve to feel excited by whatever good has happened to you. Monday motivation reminds you to not hold it in – just be sensitive where you let it out.
#2 – refrain from broadcasting your excitement
As tempting as it may be to shout out your good news from the rooftops and broadcast it all over social media, now may not be the best time to do so. You need to share your excitement with your closest friends but you probably don’t need to share it with your friends’ friends and their friends. And, if your spouse or friends can’t fully embrace your excitement, recognize that he/she/they may be having a tough time right now. However, if that person has a history of negating your excitement or repeatedly “wet-blankets” your joy, then you need to rethink how much time you spend together.
#3 – queue up your news
Suppose that you want to share your exciting news about a pregnancy with someone who has been struggling with fertility. That’s tricky. Monday motivation requires that we exercise sensitivity and restraint here. Even if the situation was not the same between the two people where the exciting news will be shared, the story still calls for an introduction. Begin by stating something that acknowledges how the other person is feeling and where they are at, then share your exciting news.
Try an introduction along the lines of, “I know that you’ve been having a really hard time lately and you know that I’m here for you. I have something that I really want to share with you because we share everything, but I’m sensitive to how you’ve been struggling lately. It might even be hard for you to hear it. Are you open to me sharing my news?” Then, you have to gauge the reaction. If they’re not ready, let it go and give them some space, encouraging them to get help if they need it. You’ve offered them a choice to hear your news or pass if now isn’t the right time, but, if they continue to pass and dismiss how you’re feeling, you need to let them go.
Monday motivation parting thoughts
Everyone deserves to feel joy and excitement and to have people around them who support them through the bad stuff, but who are also there to cheer them on through the good stuff. Monday motivation is something that we need every day of the week. Keep building!
Like a Boss podcast streams on Spotify, Apple and iHeart Radio
If you’re a podcast person, gain some inspiration and insights from our guests on my “Like a Boss” content: listen here on our Grit Daily podcast channel on Apple iTunes. Or return here each week for our Monday Motivation quick tips. Finally, if you like my writing, check out my new novel, The Battle for Humanity, it’s a thriller you won’t be able to put down. Have a fabulous week!
Lead image is sourced from Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay.