Who here has ever felt the Sunday night pangs as your weekend of freedom comes to a close and another work week begins? The “Monday Blues” are real. I went through the Sunday to Monday cycle week after week, year after year. I spent five out of seven days going through the work motions because I thought that’s what work and career meant. I don’t have those blues anymore.
Let me share with you what my Mondays look like now. It’s Monday morning, December 21, 2020, and I’m chugging a cup of coffee in excitement. I’m heading out to meet my teammates at our local Salvation Army food bank. When I arrive, I’m greeted with warm smiles and friendly good mornings. I see our Oddacious leader, Chris, already scoping out the warehouse to figure out where his service is needed most. In true team fashion, my teammates and I follow his lead, assess where we're needed, and jump right in. It was only our second time as a group volunteering at the food bank, but we were already an impressive assembly line. We packed food boxes, restocked items when they ran out, and broke down cardboard and plastic to be recycled. The hours flew by like minutes. We shared random stories, laughed a lot, and embraced our mission while sharing responsibilities equally.
Sharing responsibilities equally is what real teamwork is about. We are stronger together than as individuals, and the more we work together, the stronger we become. At the end of our shift on December 21st, we eagerly asked how many food boxes we packed as a team. To our delight, it was about 30 more boxes than the last time we volunteered. That's 30 more families we were able to provide comfort to during their time in need. The happiness we felt within as a team was expressed outwardly with fist bumps and cheering.
I’ve always felt that I was a decent person. I strive to be thoughtful and kind every day. But ever since I became a member of the Oddacious family, I find myself inspired by my down-to-earth team to give more of myself. I have been humbly awakened to the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community. In the past, I have donated money, clothes, and household items to those in need. Still, volunteering time brought me a completely different sense of joy by working side-by-side with my teammates and other volunteers, building bonds while giving back to our community. It reminded me of what’s essential for a meaningful life: helping others, not just people in my circle.
If you woke up this morning with a case of the “Monday Blues,” the chances are it’s not Monday itself that’s bringing you down; it’s your environment that’s not stimulating you. See if you can connect your work to a higher purpose that motivates you. I found my purpose at Oddacious Solutions and applied it to packing food into boxes. Wishing you success in finding and applying your purpose in 2021!
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