The “Start-Over” Trap: Why You Should Stop Waiting for Monday

The Fantasy of Monday

If you want to change your life, you have to stop waiting for Monday.

But there’s something oddly comforting about Monday, isn’t there?

It’s like a clean notebook page… a cosmic reset button.
“This time I’ll be good.”
“This time I’ll follow through.”
“This time I’ll do it right.“

But if you’ve been playing that game for more than a few decades, you already know:
Monday doesn’t change anything—you do.

And waiting for the “right” moment—whether it’s Monday, the first of the month, or when summer ends—is often just a clever disguise for not starting at all.

“There are a million Mondays, but only one right now.”
— Chasing Failure, Ryan Leak

🪞A Story I See All the Time (Maybe It’s Yours, Too)

A woman in her 50s messages me. She wants to lose weight, get fit, feel better.
She tells me she’s bought programs, downloaded meal plans, even joined a gym.

But she hasn’t started.
Why?

Because “this week is crazy.”
Because “I need to get the house in order first.”
Because “I want to wait until Monday so I can start fresh.”

Here’s what I tell her—gently, but truthfully:

Every time you delay, you’re reinforcing a belief that your life has to be perfect before you get to matter.

I Used to Be Her

There were so many seasons in my life when I waited.

• I waited until the holidays were over
• I waited until my schedule was less chaotic
• I waited until I was motivated
• I waited until I was ready
• And of course I waited for Monday

But here’s the truth:
I was never truly ready.
And neither are you.

You don’t become ready by waiting.
You become ready by moving—awkwardly, imperfectly, beautifully—forward.

Related Reading: Why You’re Not Starting Over

🧠 Why “Later” Feels Safer

The brain is sneaky.

It offers “Monday” as a compromise—like a peace treaty between your desire to change and your fear of failing.
It gives you the illusion of progress without requiring discomfort today.

But here’s the hard truth:
You will not become the woman you want to be next Monday.
You become her in the tiny, ordinary, right-now moments you usually dismiss.

🔁 The Monday Trap vs. The Now Shift

Let’s break it down.

📍How to Break the Monday Trap (Starting Today)

Let’s get practical. You don’t need a makeover. You need a move.

Here’s what to do:

1. Decide who you’re becoming.

Ask: What kind of woman do I want to be one year from now?
Then ask: What would she do today—even if she didn’t feel like it?

That’s your move.

➤ If she walks, walk for 10 minutes.
➤ If she eats protein with breakfast, add it today.
➤ If she speaks kindly to herself, write one encouraging sentence on a sticky note.

2. Pick your “Maybe Just 5.”

You don’t need to do it all.
You need to do something.

Choose one 5-minute action today that moves you toward your future self.

• 🔷Five minutes of journaling
• 🔷Five minutes of stretching
• 🔷Five minutes of meal planning
• 🔷Five minutes of quiet without a screen

That five minutes is you reclaiming your identity.

3. Close the calendar loophole.

Say this out loud:

This isn’t a cute quote.
It’s a declaration.

Every time you delay your start, you train your brain to believe your goals don’t really matter.

Let’s break that cycle now.

🧩 Want a Little Help?

If you’re tired of getting stuck in the “start over” loop, I’ve got tools made for you.

✨ Maybe Just 5 Minutes — Tiny habits. Big shifts.
🌀 The Evening Un-Do Loop — Break the nighttime autopilot
💬 Crave Curious — Turn cravings into self-awareness, not shame

These tools aren’t about willpower. They’re about rewiring the way you see yourself.

🎯 Final Takeaway

Monday isn’t magic.
Right now is.

You don’t need a new plan.
You need to stop negotiating with your life.

You already have permission.
You already have enough time.
You already have a body worth caring for.

And you already have everything you need to begin—right here, in this very moment.

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