Not Bad for a Monday. . .

Pretty sure this sums up where many of us are on this first Monday of 2016.  

I have mentioned before that I am a word nerd and pay attention to what people say more than most.  No exception to that on this first Monday of the new year as I joined the masses weaving back downtown,  acutely aware again of what time it was and where I needed to be.

"Happy New Year!  How ya doin?", was my greeting of choice to my elevator mates.  And here they came, those rote greetings that come without thought or intention.  "Just trying to get back into the swing of things", "Would rather be home than here", and my favorite, "Not bad for a Monday".  That one always gives me cause to pause.  I realize it is said as an automatic response, but still I have to restrain myself from asking, "So you woke up thinking today was going to suck--and it does-- just not as much as you were anticipating. . . ?"

It's a new year and some are already struggling to keep the promises that were made with so much conviction just 3 days ago.  21 days gets thrown around a lot this time of year for how long it takes to form a new habit.  Most experts, though, agree there is no magic number.  And, if there were, it would be more like 66 days.  That's a lot of days to not eat sweets, get up early and run, drink more water or less coffee or whatever you've promised to do this year.

What about starting smaller yet?  According to a Mayo Clinic article on positive thinking (Positive Self Talk), there are several positive health benefits that result from positive self talk.  Among them are: Increased life span, lower rates of depression,  lower levels of distress, greater resistance to the common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and better coping skills during hardships and times of stress. 

So the next time someone asks you how you're doing and you're tempted to respond with a thoughtless and rote response, try, "Not bad" and leave off the for a whatever day of the week.  Then, the next time you're asked, try, "Great!" Who knows, you may find yourself thinking more positive thoughts throughout the rest of the day, the week and the month AND being more resistant to the common cold.  All that and you didn't have to run one mile or do one sit up!  Not bad for a Monday. . .