The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Most people hate Mondays. We dread them all weekend, we wake up groaning about them, and we grumble about them on Facebook all day long, seeking company in our misery from others who share our pain.

When I worked a regular 8-5:00 job, Monday through Friday, I hated Mondays too. Why? Because Monday signifies the point in the week at which you have the most remaining work hours until your next day off. It sucks knowing that there are now forty hours of productivity (or misery, whatever) between you and that Friday evening happy hour. However, when I chose to abandon the 8-5:00 lifestyle, Mondays took on a new meaning for me. The night-job life means that I work nights and weekends. I am routinely scheduled Friday nights, therefore Friday is really nothing to look forward to. If I'm not battling through my week just to get to Friday, my reasons for hating Monday simply melt away.

For me, Monday mornings are mostly calm. Quiet. After a long weekend of work, dealing with drunken customers, shouting over loud music, and trying to fit in all those things that I didn't manage to get accomplished during the week, Mondays are my breath of fresh air. To me, every Monday is a chance to start over. The perpetual Day 1.

Day 1 of the Diet: Struggling with health and weight is a constant for most people, and like most people, I want to look and feel my best while simultaneously (constantly) indulging myself in excessive food, beverage, and naps. Obviously, this does not work. And after a weekend of enjoying myself, Monday is always the day I mentally motivate myself to get back on track. Because Monday is the day with the most remaining days between me and the weekend, it represents a fresh start, and blank page. I can make this Monday the start of a healthier me.

Day 1 of the Exercise Plan: I'm no marathon-runner, but as a woman approaching middle age, I am well aware that my metabolism won't last forever, and it's important to include physical activity in my life. Every exercise program from Sweatin' to the Oldies to p90x has a Day 1.Why not make it today? Fifteen minutes on the elliptical in the morning, one hour of pole fitness in the evening, and a reasonably healthy menu in between. Boom.

Day 1 of the Housewife "Home" Tasks: Desperate housewives of the world! I have six guests coming to stay with me Friday night, and in order to make sure that they don't witness any embarrassing filth, I have *cough* a few chores that need to be taken care of before Friday. Picking up all the clutter, making sure the pillows are fluffed and the beds are clean-sheeted, stocking the fridge, etc. Since it's Monday, I have the maximum number of hours remaining in which to complete those tasks. (Cue the sound of a whip cracking. *whoop-pISH!!*)

Day 1 of the Housewife "Other" Tasks: I have bills to pay, mail to sort, stuff to drop off, packages to ship, Grandmas to visit, gifts to purchase, and household supplies to re-stock. And Lord knows those groceries won't shop for themselves. Luckily, it's Monday, so I have lots of time to squeeze my errands in before Friday, and get them all done without causing myself a panic attack.

Day 1 of Soul Improvement: Arguably the most important of all the Day 1's, this Monday is a chance for me to improve mySELF. Smile at more people instead of giving blank stares, or let an extra car into my lane. I should take a few minutes of my drive between jobs and call a friend just to say hi. Try to keep bitterness and venom out of my head and heart, and remember not to let something small ruin my day. Learn to let something small make my day instead.

A cup of coffee on Monday morning is possibly my favorite time of the week. In the world of the "Day Job" people, 10AM on a Monday might be the worst moment of the week. It's just about time for that fifteen-minute mid-morning break, in which (if you're lucky) you'll be able to run to the bathroom and hit the vending machine. Maaaaaybe check Facebook, but only if you do it on the toilet. (Multi-tasking is key.) Right now, my week seems endless, in a good way. I'm looking around at my messy house, knowing it has to be cleaned, and checking the clock because I know I have places to be, but hey. There's plenty of time to accomplish my weekly goals, because it's only Monday. It's literally the first day of the rest of my life.

And with a small, determined grin, she chugs the rest of her coffee, closes the laptop, and thinks to herself, "Go get 'em, Tiger."