I’m going to say something radical: I love Mondays.
That’s right. I even love Monday mornings, that famously dreaded time of week when we all return from our fun weekends and go back to work.
But before I tell you why I love Mondays, just know that I wasn’t always like this. I’ve worked my share of bad jobs, like when I earned $8 an hour selling $54 mohair dog sweaters to wealthy dog owners in Manhattan. Or the job I had working for an aggressive actress turned publicist from the former Soviet Union who always yelled when she spoke Russian. Or maybe it was just a Russian thing.
I would get the Sunday Scaries, where I was upset about the weekend being over and having to go to work the next day. One time, I was so depressed about a job that one Sunday, I went into a puppy shop and spent $1,000 – every last cent in my bank account – on a cute little Boston Terrier to cheer myself up. It worked, but I couldn’t afford to do that every Sunday.
On Mondays, when I went to work, I’d stare at the clock and count down the hours until I could go home. I was always tired at the start of the week. Friday seemed so far away. Why was the weekend so short?
Nowadays, everything is different. I’m a freelancer. I decide what clients I want to work with and make my own schedule. I’m living my dream.
To me, Monday is a fresh and exciting start to the new week, which is so full of possibility. Who knows if I’ll snag another new client or get into an exciting publication or hear from one of my awesome readers (like you)? No week is ever alike when you’re a freelancer.
Thanks to Shabbat, when I turn off my phone, and the time I spend with my family on Saturday and Sunday, I get recharged. I feel hopeful about the week ahead.
After the weekend, I feel rejuvenated when I get back to my office. Thanks to Shabbat, when I turn off my phone, and the time I spend with my family on Saturday and Sunday, I get recharged. I feel hopeful about the week ahead.
I wish that everybody loved Mondays just as much as I do, because it would mean that they were happy with their careers, too. But just so you know: It’s by no means easy for me.
There are certainly times when I wake up on a Monday feeling tired or overwhelmed or down about my career. Sometimes, I feel pretty hopeless and have my doubts about my abilities. I look at other people and think how they’re doing better than me and how I’m lacking. I say negative things to myself: You could always be more talented, make more money, get more attention. I have to talk myself back from the metaphorical ledge and realize that there are so many ups and downs when you’re an entrepreneur. I use this time to reflect, to regroup, to figure out what I want out of my life. I research out-of-the-box ways I can move forward. I pray that things work out. When I couple hard work with prayer, good things always happen.
If you aren’t excited about a new week, I encourage you to look at what you do from day to day. What’s making you happy, and what’s keeping you down? Perhaps you need to find a new job or pursue a different career. Maybe you have a great idea for a side hustle but feel like you don’t have any time to do it. Make the time. If you have a thought that’s constantly nagging you, that’s a sign you should address it.
Or, you might just have to step back and be grateful for what you have. Maybe you don’t like your job, but at least you can support yourself on it. And hey, your coworkers aren’t so bad. Just a little bit of gratitude could make you feel a whole lot better.
I don’t love what I do 100% of the time – does anyone? But I do believe you should enjoy waking up every single morning and feel excited about what’s ahead, whether it’s a Monday, or a Tuesday, or any day that ends in “y,” really.
Kylie Ora Lobell is the Community and Arts Editor of the Jewish Journal.
