So another Monday is on the horizon and I'm not sure why people still seem surprised at this occurrence - it does happen the same time every week after all. But still, looking at social media on a Sunday night, and indeed a Monday morning, I'm advised that the worst possible thing is about to happen and a day of utmost evil is about to take place. I am bombarded with gifs, images and slogans telling me that no-one should speak to me, or anyone else, until lots of coffee has been drunk or there's only three days until Thirsty Thursday (don't get me started on how annoying this term is) or Hump Day because you know once Monday and Tuesday is over we are free-wheeling to all the fun. It should be noted I am fine drinking a glass of wine on Monday... I don't need to wait until Thursday.
I mean don't get me wrong I love my weekends. Not having to work and deal with clients emails, or answer the phone to anyone that's not a friend inviting me for spontaneous drinks somewhere, is bliss. However, after many years of being an upstanding member of the 'I hate Monday club', I now refuse to wish my weeks away and live for the weekend because if I do that then mathematically I am only supposed to enjoy 104 days a year... and that's just not cricket.
In order to stick by my stand to start enjoying Mondays I did what any self-respecting woman would do and I got a hobby. Mondays are perfect for organised and scheduled fun because no-one ever asks you to do anything because again they're vilified as days to survive rather than enjoy. I labour the point.
So after a few days mulling over my options on what I wanted do I decided on learning how to dance tango...and yes before you ask this choice was more than likely prompted after another round of Strictly Come Dancing and me lamenting my lost career as a professional dancer due to my non-pushy parents not forcing me to learn from the age of three. I shared my plan with my partner and he decided to come on board --I was incredibly shocked at this turn of events especially after our swing dancing attempts a couple of years ago that we no longer talk about. After a minute amount of research --as usefully my lovely Spanish school (Battersea Spanish) had recently diversified and was now offering dance classes which also fell on a Monday evening -- classes were found, booked and paid for we were committed to enjoying ourselves.
And so for the past year now, each week instead of waking up and thinking 'arghhh Monday, five days of hell before I can breathe freely again and drink gin,' I wake up and jump into action. And by jump I mean sit and drink a double espresso to kick start my brain--nothing will make me drop that habit-- then a trip to the gym to get the endorphins going, before landing in my work inbox and dealing with the daily grind. However, instead of just trying to get through the day as quickly as possible I have something to look forward to: a Spanish conversation class followed by tango. Joy.
I mean it's a pretty straightforward idea and I would recommend it to anyone who continues to loathe the poor maligned Monday. Just buck up your ideas and do something regularly on those evenings --whether it's a new hobby, cinema club with friends or even something as simple as setting aside time to read a book or call a friend you haven't spoken to for a while-- start doing something that you enjoy instead of writing Monday off as this monstrous phenomenon that's ruining your life. Because it's not and instead you're wishing it away.