Have you ever woken up on a weekday morning, feeling like the world is yours? Me, too! I love those days.
It’s as if the trajectory of the day is somehow tangible, so close to being downright perfect that you can reach out and touch it.
Riding the vibe, you practice your pre-work routine: exercise, shower, eat breakfast, dress for success, and fluff that 2nd day hair because ain’t no body gonna break your stride!
Then it happens: the day, filled with so much promise, devolves into an existential crisis. Whether it’s being cut off in traffic, a co-worker borrows then ends up stealing your favorite pen, or your glorious curls begin to fall flat at the top of the lunch hour, you question your life choices. You think, “What did I do to deserve this? Everything was going so well. Then, BAM! Is this Karmic justice?”
Yes, killed vibes and killjoys. It happens to the best of us, but it truly feels like defeat when it’s actively happening to you.
I’m no stranger to this, curl friends. Bad days do happen. That’s why I’m sharing three quotes with you. These quotes, attributed to people I admire, help me clear the fog of frustrating days when they occur during the work week. I hope they’re helpful to you, too!
1. A Key to Happiness from Karen Salmansohn
Some work days are more challenging than others, especially when your best laid plans turn into tomorrow’s to-do list.
For my curl friends with children and household management duties, in a addition to being stellar career women, it’s doubly challenging to see the positive in a bad day.
When a series of unexpected events happens in an 8-hour or more time period, I remember this quote by acclaimed author and designer Karen Salmansohn:
2. Sincere, Helpful Words from Staceyann Chin
Admittedly, I’m pretty hard on myself when things don’t go my way.
I’m also one of those examining life in hindsight types that freaks out at missed opportunities to have had my voice heard on certain topics or issues. I get really perturbed with myself and write down everything I should of, could of, would of if only I had known in the moment what to say or do.
When I’m railing against myself, I reach out for the wise words of poet and political activist Staceyann Chin:
3. A Moment of Clarity from Buddha
Outside of social settings, my mood undulates between pensive and inspired. In moments of inspiration, I tend to become eager to complete projects.
That’s usually when seeds of doubt are sown by my inner dialogue, its baritone bellows, “You’re never going to get that project done! Why even bother starting it right now? Wait until you’re ready.”
It’s even worse when it comes to me styling my hair or prepping my coils for the work week!
That voice, rich and deep and powerful, is the voice of all my past writing assignments gone awry, all my unraveled twists that never looked as nice as I dreamed they would.
It’s a loud, overwhelming voice that I quiet down with this piece of wisdom from Buddha:
These are just a few of the quotes that help me get through the work week. If you’d like more inspiration and motivation to keep you going during the work week, follow me on Pinterest!
Tell me: who or what keeps you moving in the direction of your dreams?
