Written by Mandy Shold // Edited by Chelsea DuDeVoire

This morning, while waiting for a fresh pot of mediocre office coffee to brew, I overheard the following exchange:

“How’s it going?”
“Oh you know – it’s Monday.”
"Oh yeah, I feel you.”

Both of my coworkers nodded and sighed in mutual agreement, then went back to their respective desks to tackle their workloads. Witnessing the exchange made wonder, though - what did Mondays ever do to deserve such a bad reputation? The butt of countless jokes, memes and Garfield references, Mondays have turned into something as dreaded as a flight delay or a root canal.

But the worst part? Mondays have turned into an excuse. An excuse for sleeping in or skipping a workout. An excuse for a rotten mood or general whine-y, complaint-filled demeanor. Without reason or logic, Mondays have become a catchall for any and all complaints. Well – fear not, Mondays. I’m here to save your good name, because I f***ing love Mondays. And everyone else should, too.

Call me a hopeless romantic, but I love the beginnings of things – everything from a first date to the first day of school to the promise of the first day of January. A clean slate, a fresh start, whatever you want to call it – there’s something significant, optimistic and full of hope about the beginning of something, when anything is possible.

And no, you don’t need to wait around for a Monday or the beginning of the calendar year to start over, but I do believe you should embrace every opportunity for a new beginning. So why not fall in love with Mondays? Or, at the very least, fall in love with the Monday version of yourself – before you’re bogged down by work emails or a week’s worth of drama.

The following are five ways to not merely muddle through – but to actually make the most of – Mondays:

Become a Morning Person.

I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out - I’m only saying to be a morning person on Mondays. Every other day of the week is entirely up to you. But for Mondays – embrace the time before the rest of the world gets to dictate your mood. Wake up, get up, and know that this time is entirely for you. It doesn’t matter if you choose meditation or journaling or working out to start the day – this is your time. Embrace the potential before the rest of the week (and world) tries to bog you down. In this small but significant moment, you can be whoever you want to be.

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee.

I’m being realistic here. Sometimes you need a little bit of help to jump-start the week. Plus, I’m a firm believer that coffee tastes infinitely better on Mondays... or really any time you’re at home without a bra or makeup on. 

Write Down One Thing You’re Thankful For.

No, I’m not telling you to start a gratitude journal. Put it on a post-it, write yourself an email, jot it down in your planner or even on a napkin lying around in the kitchen – whatever works for you. Maybe you’re thankful for the chance to see your family this month, or for the new friends you made that weekend. Personally, I usually just write down that I’m thankful for coffee and dry shampoo. The simple act of being thankful, even if it is just for a latte, can dictate the lens through which you view the week ahead. 

Start a To-Do List.

For some, this might be work-related projects to finish or emails to send, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m a firm believer in setting personal goals, either for the day or for the week. So why not start your Monday with a mission? Maybe you’re striving to update your resume, or maybe it’s time to ask that cute friend of yours if he or she wants a drink. Either way, it’s good to have goals, so take the time to make some of your own.

Quit complaining.

Check your bad attitude at the door and embrace the new possibility of the week. If you use Monday as an excuse, you’re missing out on one seventh of the week. That’s 52 days (or 1,248 hours) of negativity and excuses each year. Not to mention a whopping total of 74,880 minutes of opportunity lost by an arbitrary day on the calendar. Just by closing the door on complaining, you’ll open up the potential of the rest of the week.

To me, Mondays are about what you make of them. If you want to lust over the ghost of weekend past, that’s fine – but it’s not going to get you very far. Embrace the challenge of Monday, the opportunity for a fresh start, and the choice to live out seven days of your week - every damn week. You’ll be surprised by where it takes you. 

Mandy spends her days working in public relations, specializing in sustainability and corporate responsibility - a job which not only fuels her soul but also pays her San Francisco rent. She spends her (virtually nonexistent) free time exploring the Bay Area craft beer scene, working on her rock collection and wishing her cat would be the big spoon sometimes. For additional sass and details of her life held together by caffeine and dry shampoo, follow her on twitter at @WayToRepresent and check out her past work for us here.