All jokes aside though, let's talk about this week's Monday Motivation! ;)

It gives me so much joy to write this post whilst sitting at my desk, surrounded by cozy lights, sipping from a hot cup of coffee and listening to some cozy fall tunes. As the caffeine flows through my body, waking up the sleeping soul deep inside me, I can feel inspiration lighting up like a ball of fire. It is that amazing feeling of Monday, the start of a new week and therefore the start of new beginnings, new challenges, and a new Motivation Monday. 
Let's actually talk about Mondays for a bit, since it suits this week's topic oh so well. "I'm In Charge Of How I Feel". If only you open Instagram on a Monday morning and scroll through your news feed, you will most probably come across a lot of negativity. The weekend is over, people are on their way to work or class again and for some reason, they have to share their negative feelings with the rest of the world. It is almost as if there is an unwritten law that we have to be depressed on Mondays and to be honest, it drives me nuts. Thank God there are also some people who embrace Mondays and see it as a way to start over or start a new challenge in order to reach their goals. Now, these are the people who understand that they are in charge of how they feel.

Have you ever noticed how much of a difference your attitude can make on the way you feel? If you decide to have a good day, to have happy thoughts and to be nice to others, your positivity will shine out of you like beams of sunshine and you will not only feel amazing yourself, but you will also make other people feel good! So, there it is, this week's challenge. Try to control your feelings by putting yourself in charge of them. No one else should be able to control the way you feel. Of course, we all have our ups and downs and negativity constantly being thrown our way, but it is up to you to decide to ignore it, move past it, and put your own happiness first. 

Here are three little tips & tricks that I'm planning to use myself during this week! 
1. Think positive. Is there some kind of downfall coming your way? Try to see it as an opportunity, rather than complaining about it and assuming the worst! Ask yourself: "how can I challenge myself to solve this issue?" or "how can I learn from the situation and how can it help me grow as a person?" Can you see the difference? You are in charge of how you see things and how they make you feel. Use those obstacles as an opportunity to turn it into something good!
2. Get rid of expectations. If you let go of your expectations, you will less likely be disappointed. Instead, try to be more appreciative! What if whatever it is you are expecting doesn't happen? You will probably feel sad or angry, right? But what if you don't expect anything in the first place, and then something great (or small, but still great) happens? You will be so happy, and you will appreciate whatever happened even more!
3. Focus on yourself. Don't ever assume it's selfish to spend time on yourself! In order to feel good, you need to be in control of your emotions, and therefore you first need to know what your emotions are right now. Sit down and meditate if you like, or take a piece of paper and start writing down whatever comes to your mind. Just let your thoughts and feelings flow so you can get an understanding of your emotions. Once you're in charge of your emotions, you can choose how you want to use them in your everyday life. 

Happy new week! May your goals become closer with each and every step you take♥

LOVE, Michelle