Raise your hand if you have ever said, “Is it Friday yet?”
Now, raise both hands if you ever say it first thing on a Monday morning.
If you raised one or both hands, you aren’t alone.

It’s natural to anticipate the weekend.
However, sometimes, the week feels like a long, drawn-out sigh from Monday morning to Friday evening, with our spirits only truly reviving as the weekend dawns. I’ve been there, both hands in the air, recalling jobs where the weekdays seemed endless and monotonous.

But here’s the thing:
Life is incredibly fleeting.
And when I sat down and did the math, I realized my joy was confined to just 37.5% of my week.
The other 62.5%?
I was simply waiting, biding my time for the weekend.
That’s over half of life spent in anticipation.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with looking forward to the weekend.
It’s our pause and often a breather from some monotony.
Weekends are when we reconnect with family/friends, dive into hobbies, or simply recharge. It’s natural to crave that freedom and relaxation.

During a recent interview, I heard a talk show host share insights from his personal  journey through suffering. He poignantly remarked,
It is a gift to exist.
And with existence comes suffering.
There is no escaping that.
But if you are grateful for your life,
then you have to be grateful for all of it.
You can’t pick and choose what you are grateful for.

So, how do we find joy on a Monday?
Especially when it seems the world’s to-do list lands squarely on our shoulders.
The answer? Gratitude.
If we truly value every heartbeat, every fleeting moment, then even Mondays can be filled with hope. Shifting your perspective on Mondays means you no longer have to play favorites with your days.

You see, the direction of your focus determines the trajectory of your day.
If you start your morning by listing all your dreads,
then you are setting the stage for a self-fulfilling prophecy of gloom.
But if you greet each day, even with its mountains to climb,
by acknowledging three things to be grateful for,
the day seems to hold a different kind of promise.
It becomes an opportunity, not an obligation.

Have I become a fan of Mondays?
Not exactly.
But they no longer cast a shadow over my week.
There’s delight even in difficult days.
And resilience built during the rough ones.
I am a full believer that every moment of our lives should pulse with vitality.
Not just a mere 37.5%.

We are not promised tomorrow.
Which is why we should embrace the rhythm of a Monday as we would the freedom of a Friday.
Each day is more than just a bridge to the weekend.
It is a fresh start.
And an opportunity to embrace God’s mercies,
Which are new every single morning.