I always feel like there is so much hope for those months that begin on a Monday. This month, last February, last June… I need to remind myself that if I am looking at the start of a month to encourage/motivate me for anything… I am looking in the wrong place.
Trying to start a month/week/day/whatever out “perfectly” just sets you up for failure.
How do you allow each moment to be an opportunity to start fresh?
Hi! I'm Kim, a 34-year-old living in Chicagoland with my husband, Steven, and our cats, Khali, Apollo, and Starbuck. I work in the design industry (architecture), follow a vegan lifestyle, am addicted to running, and am an ACE certified personal trainer (working at Essential Fitness, LLC ("Efit"))! I write about a variety of topics, and consider this a "life" blog - a place I can share anything that's on my mind. Please visit the "About" page to get a better idea of who I am! :-)
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You are so right! I tend to think in this way too, whether it’s the beginning of the year, the beginning of a new month, etc. But each day–each moment—is a fresh start. I need to remind myself of this. 😀
I try to remind myself that every SECOND is a fresh start, if I allow them to be!
Y’know, I never was one who used dates as motivators for fresh starts. I guess that’s why I usually skip over New Year’s resolutions. But, I don’t think using dates for fresh starts is a bad thing, necessarily. I mean, it allows you to get ready mentally. To push beyond whatever is holding you back currently and so on. I say, no matter what your motivation, so long as you’re able to make that fresh start when needed, that’s what’s really important.
I think of everyday as a fresh start. I think after a good night’s rest, anything can get done. Although I will say sometimes the start of a new month can feel refreshing. It didn’t think time but sometimes it does!
Half the time I can’t even remember the date so I don’t really look at the first as a fresh start, more like each day. Especially when it comes to eating better or exercising. If I screwed up the previous day I can always start new the next.
I love fresh starts, Mondays and the first day of the month – and when they all fall together on the same day, it gives me a great feeling! Wish I could have that feeling every day…
I love setting new goals and making fresh starts on Monday’s and first day of the month. There are times that things do actually get a fresh start and there are times that I get frustrated and give up. I guess it really depends on my mood lol
Whatever can help you look with fresh eyes at a stale situation is good.
when my eating was really disordered i would always conisder mondays to be my “fresh start.” all that did was promote binging on sundays!!!! now i declare a fresh start whenever i feel like it, but i have a different understanding of what that means. instead of just wiping the slate clean, i see it as a chance to be mindful and feel recharged and ready to go, while learning from whatever depleted me in the first place
I didn’t realize that it’s special when a month starts on a Monday.. For me every day is a fresh start too.
oooooh i JUST made a list in my positive journal of times/things that make me feel “new” or “fresh.”
1. long hot shower
2. long or hard run
3. tea or kombucha or a fresh juice
4. yoga
5. snuggling and *cough*sex*cough (i can’t believe i just posted that, lol)
6. weight lifting
7. waking up after a really great night’s sleep (better if i fell asleep on the early side)
8. massage or spa or something pampering like that
9. after finishing a race and crossing a literal finish line
did my comment post??? i don’t see it. weird? i posted a whole list of things that make me feel “new”… lemme know if it doesn’t show up and i will email it to you. i actually did this as an activity in my “positive journal.”
I resurrected it from my spam folder. Thanks for letting me know it went there!
[…] I read a post over at ilaxSTUDIO that Kim wrote about feeling new and starting fresh. I have ALWAYS been one of those people who […]
This past year or so, I have really trained myself to live in the moment. I have had to work at it. When I make a conscious effort to do my best and try to make the best of whatever situation I’m in, everything seems to go smoothly. Life really is too short not to make the best of every moment.
I think what works for me is to NOT do resolutions. They end up frustrating me, not motivating me. I take each day as a brand new day. I don’t think about what I ate or how I exercised the day before, for example. It’s just today. That’s helped with a lot of my anxiety, as I used to try to make everything perfect for the next day, next week, next month, next year. I’m kind of like Ameena in that most of the time, I forget what month it is. Ha.
i am never with it enough to do things right at the START of a month. that’s why my donation per month resolution is working well for me – i have a whole month to accomplish each donation! 🙂
I probably don’t allow enough moments to be opportunities to start fresh. But I do frequently remind myself that it ain’t over until I’m dead — until that day comes, I can keep pushing toward what I really want in life no matter how many tries it takes.
Is it sad that I look forward to the new month as an opportunity to close out our budget from the previous month?
i love this little post! breathing deep always helps me.
Ahh this is so true.
I was feeling very similarly about March – trying to do everything perfectly. It never works out and just ends up being a disappointment. Focusing on one day at a time is so much more uplifting and motivating!
I just do the best that I can. New months and weeks are nice because of how they feel like a new start but I think that when you’re ready to start “fresh” or “try again”, it doesn’t matter what day it is.
Hmmm . . . I dont think in terms of starting fresh. Maybe Im too structured? I dont know.
I guess for me I feel like I can start over whenever. If I want to change something, it will be as of now, and thats that. If Im at work and I need to start over (to avoid killing someone) I just close my eyes and take a couple of really deep breaths. That works wonders.
Perfect post for me today. I need to remember today is a new day and a brand new start!
I wouldn’t say I have OCD, but I have this thing where I prefer to start things at a “milestone” point. First of the year, first day of the week, top of the hour, etc. It’s silly and pointless and yet I can’t help it.
I’ve never thought about the first of the month on a Monday that way before!
I do try to think of each day as a fresh start, though sometimes I fail. I think when I reserve that “fresh start” feeling for the first of the year, month, or week, it sometimes sets me up to “binge” on whatever I’m trying to get rid of!
My motivation level is based on making progress on another project or getting excited when I finally break free of my personal distractions and procrastinations. I find that lasts a few days when I am able to make some headway.
As my last comment I left on another post, I am in the process of restructuring how I manage my personal projects.