My absolute favorite day of the week is a Monday. Seems strange and fake to say, but honestly, to me, this is a very good day. This day is the start of a 5-day routine for me which involves work, school, fitness training and schedules. I’ve spent a lot of time and energy zeroing in on how I want my week to be. It’s not perfect yet, but a Monday is a great opportunity to get it going. I’m almost there and very happy with the progress so far. And hey, another Monday will be coming again!

The alarm goes off, it’s very early and most likely still dark. So….what’s the first thought that hits you? I’m going to guess for most people it’s the question, “What day is this?” Oh boy, it’s Monday. Uh-oh. Are you ready? I believe most people would immediately answer no, they are not ready and the alarm is lying. This is a day practically everyone I know has been trained to loathe. This is not supposed to be a good day. This is the most difficult day of the entire week and everyone has their reasons.

There seems to be more memes on how awful and horrible a Monday can be. Every time I see someone post a meme or make a comment about this day, I cringe for that person. I feel bad that they immediately woke up putting all their energy into becoming negative and lethargic and seemingly cranky over a simple day of the week. This one day that’s no different than any other.

But, what if it didn’t have to be the worst day? What if this was (or could become)your best day of the week? What if you woke up prepared for what’s ahead one step at a time? Having your mindset so focused, or trained on what should get done to have a successful morning, day at work, evening and downtime. How cool is that? It’s possible and not as hard as one would like to believe-

One of the key factors to having a successful and positive Monday is preparation. The cool thing with preparation is you can take it as far as you’d like. I know some that will spend a good chunk of their Sunday meal prepping healthy meals and snacks for their entire week or this may be done daily. This eliminates time they may not have to make sure they eat right and stay on track. Some will make sure clothes are set for the week or daily. This helps eliminate running around in the morning or complicating matters trying to find something that easily could have been set aside the night before. Some make sure to go through their calendars so they are aware of where they need to be and don’t accidentally forget or overbook out of negligence. This gives them an idea to mentally prepare for what to expect in the next few days. Also a great opportunity to schedule gym time, family time or time for hobbies.

On a Fitness level, I can’t stress this enough – NEVER MISS A MONDAY! We’ve see this everywhere, but take this for what it is. Always show up on a Monday. Your mind and body may fight with you the entire time. You had good intentions the night before, you were going to do it. You were either going to get up early and go, or head over right after work. Something in between happens and your mind wins. But really, you lose. This is the one time I would tell you to ignore your thinking. Consider the phrase, “There’s no such thing as a bad workout.” One of my favorite secrets that I love to share with people is when you’re at your worst and you don’t feel like it or you’re sore and tired and can’t imagine sweating right now, this is when you have the BEST workout possible. Halfway through something triggers your brain and you speed up and you challenge yourself. Maybe you move faster or add more weight to your workouts, or really zero in on a complicated skill. It’s an experiment I recommend you try. To start, you just need to get up, get moving! Get out there! If you’re part of a workout group, I can 100% guarantee they’re counting on seeing you. They go because they don’t want to let you down, yet they are looking for YOU. You finish this workout together, high five each other and go your separate ways until next time. Or, maybe if you’re on your own, you get the whole gym or outdoors to yourself. Just you and your goals. Here’s your chance, you got this!! When you start this day already completing a goal, your mindset is re-charged, you’re invigorated, you eat a better breakfast and you’re more likely to show up to work, or school or appointments just a little more cheerier. Here’s your tone for the day. Don’t take it for granted. You’re part of the small minority that’s found that first key to your very own successful Monday. Another secret I’ll let you in on as this group is growing! People are recognizing the importance of this day and they’re embracing it full storm. How cool is that? Again, the question you need to answer very carefully on a Monday morning is “Are you ready?” It’s up to you…

Vikki Trevillian
Wausau Crossfit

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