Ever get tired of being told to have a good attitude?
You know it’s a good idea. But not today. You know attitude is important. But if one more person points that out to you, you’ll scream. Today you need to be in a bad mood. Today you can barely muster the energy to pick up a pencil. Today you must growl.
The idea behind Loving Monday is not to superficially encourage us to put on a false front and pretend to be happier, more engaged, or more dedicated than we really are.
On the other hand, when we are authentically tired, bored, or discouraged, the solution in not necessarily to act out those feelings all over everyone else.
Are there any other options available than stuffing our emotions or giving in to them? Is there another way forward besides either wearing a mask at your own expense or spewing venom everywhere at everyone else’s expense?
My thought is why not have some fun with it?
Put a sign on your door that warns, “Grumpy soldier inside, enter at your own risk.” Or, “Tie a rope around your waist before descending into this pit of exhaustion, or you may get sucked down yourself.”
Put a peace offering of treats near your desk as a humorous way to pre-pay for their forgiveness.
By acknowledging that you’re in a bad space, you are letting people know ahead of time what they are about to experience! How different than being ambushed by someone’s bad mood! This frees them to be cautious and more sensitive to you.
You also create a safe atmosphere for them to give the gift of encouragement, compassion, and/or support to you on a difficult day.
In the long term, you’ll have a better chance of returning to a more engaged, enthusiastic attitude sooner if you are honest about how far away from that attitude you are right now.
How do you deal with a bad start to the week when you’re tired, overwhelmed or down?
On your side,
– Karl Edwards
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