Poor Monday. Monday is the butt of all jokes and has the inglorious task of following Friday evening (done with work), and Saturday and Sunday (recovering from work). Not for all of us, but many. And many of us look at Monday as the dreaded day of back to school, back to work, back to the tasks and blues and exhaustion.  I feel sorry for Monday. I do.  Of course, Monday, in my opinion gets a bum wrap.  It’s an easy scape goat. And bad days can happen regardless of what order on the calendar it happens to fall.  One moment in a day, one worry, one deadline missed, or moment of overwhelm can really wipe the Magic from your day and make your day (your week… your year… Your life?) seem not only not magical, but not happy, and for some of you, unbearable. I’ve been there.  And, let’s be honest, there are experiences that can take your breath away and you’ll feel that there is no magic, no joy, and you’ll wonder how you’ll ever feel anything ever again. I’ve been there too.

So, if you are willing to believe in a magician’s words, here are science tested and my personal journey tested ways to find your way to a little more light:

1. Gratitude. Yes, being thankful. Finding those things within you and around you that make your heart smile. When everything feels forsaken, I totally get it – it feels like nothing is right. But I ask you to look again.  Sometimes the world can feel unsafe, discontent, your finances might be a mess, you’re really struggling, and I promise there is at least one thing. And the further you probe into the things you overlook every day in an effort of betterment – you realize that just being able to read this, is something to be grateful for. Start with the basics – You’re alive. Deep inhale. Ahh, delicious breath. You can be grateful for the sound of laughter, or the smell of pie, or the texts from your friends, the hug from your child, or the sunrise. And science has your back on this one. It has been proven study after study, that reflecting on things we are grateful for, boosts our happy hormones, calms our nerves, finds our breath, diminishes anxiety and depression. Even if there is ONE thing that you can think of, this ONE thing, is a big thing to your brain.
2. Be. In. It. Allow yourself to acknowledge it hurts. Whatever it is.  Feel it.  Yes, I feel sad/angry/disappointed.  All of the escape buttons in the world will not help you to find the blessing or the lesson or the perspective shift if you deny that you’re not feeling very magical or happy.  There is ALWAYS something just beyond this moment. For many, for example, 9/11 did not reduce our feelings about human beings, we found a way to come together, to help one another, to do the impossible and be our best version of humanity even if it meant our lives were at stake to do so. September 11th is the quintessential reminder for me, that there is remarkable beauty even in the darkest of the darkest times.
3. Tribe – There I said it again. Tribe. Your community. Your fellow Earth Walkers. Let others in on the feeling too. Feeling- Stressed? Angry? Disappointed? Don’t go it alone.  There is a lot (and by A LOT, I mean A LOT) of benefit to sharing with those we are close with.  Community and sharing our grief or feelings with our tribe is 100% important.  Sharing our failings, our laughter, our struggles. I don’t mean a post on social media, either. I mean- those you don’t need to give the highlight reel to. We need one another as human beings. There is comfort in connecting – there is wisdom – there is understanding – and space holding – and reminders to laugh- and hugs (which studies show we need 17 hugs everyday, by the way). In my hardest of times, there is a BLT made by loving hands, and suddenly, even on my worst days, that BLT is the best thing I’ve ever experienced.

There are many additional ways to trace your way to yourself, to well being… but if I were to think of three, three simple, easy tasks, which aren’t really tasks at all. I choose these three. Try them on your next challenging Monday, or on one of your lowest of low days. There in this simplicity is Magic. I know. I’ve been there too.

Be well on the journey, my friends,
Jason