Online Run & Mindset Coaching

Stop Waiting for Monday!

Why Today Is the Best Day to Start

We all know that familiar phrase.

I’ll start Monday.
I’ll start on the first.
I’ll start in the new year.

It feels tidy to pin change to a clean spot on the calendar. A fresh page makes the goal seem easier. The start line feels less intimidating when it has structure around it. But that structure can turn into a stalling technique. And suddenly we’ve waited weeks, months, even years before we finally begin.

Trust me, I’ve been guilty of this more times than I can count. I’ve put off starting new training blocks because “next week will be less busy.” I’ve told myself I need a new journal to get back into journaling, even though I have a stack of half-finished ones at home. I’ve said I’ll start tracking my protein intake on Monday, partly because it gives me permission to squeeze in one more “guilt-free” meal before the clock resets.

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

There’s a reason our brains cling to the idea of a fresh start. Psychologists call it the “fresh start effect.” A clean dates feel symbolic. It creates a mental separation from our past patterns so we can imagine a newer, more disciplined version of ourselves.

It also protects us from discomfort. Change feels messy. It asks us to try, fail, adjust, and keep going. Starting on Monday gives us the illusion of being a little bit more in control. Starting today asks us to be vulnerable. Sometimes we’re simply scared we won’t stick with it. Sometimes we’re scared of what it means if we do.

Let's Be Honest With Ourselves... The New Year Isn’t Magic

January 1 feels like a reset button, but it isn’t magic. You don’t suddenly become more motivated, more organized, or more disciplined just because the date changed. If anything, waiting for the new year piles on even more pressure. It turns your goals into an all-or-nothing event instead of something you build with small, steady choices.

This part pay catch you off guard but, the version of you who wants change is already here! You don’t need a new journal. You don’t need Monday. You don’t need January. You just need a starting point. And that can be today!

When you take one small action right now, your brain gets evidence that change is possible. You break the cycle of delay. You interrupt the story that says you need the “right moment.” Momentum grows from tiny steps, not from sweeping declarations.

Start Today

Little Ways to Start Today

These ideas are simple, but they create real movement.

Pick one tiny shift.

One extra glass of water. A ten-minute walk. A five-minute stretch. You’d be surprised how quickly confidence builds when the bar is reasonable.

Set a two-minute timer.

Start the thing you’ve been avoiding for two minutes. Most of the time, the hardest part is simply beginning.

Prepare one thing your future self will appreciate.

Lay out your run gear, prep a snack, charge your watch. Make tomorrow easier.

Replace “I’ll start Monday” with “I’ll start with my next choice.”

A small shift in language changes everything.

Shorten the gap between intention and action.

Five-second countdown. Move when you hit one.

Focus on identity, not the outcome.

You’re not “trying to be consistent.” You’re becoming someone who honours their routines.

Your brain likes certainty, but it adapts quickly once it sees a behaviour is manageable and rewarding. Every action becomes a vote for the version of you you’re stepping into. And the more votes you stack, the harder it becomes to break the momentum.

This is why starting today matters. You don't need to chase pefection, but rather you need to start building trust with yourself.

Why This Time of Year Is the Perfect Time to Begin

This season feels chaotic. Holidays, weather, busyness. It’s easy to press pause until January. So when you choose to begin now, you set yourself apart. You roll into the new year already in motion. Already building habits. Already proving to yourself that you don’t need a specific date to change your life. When everyone else is waiting for the calendar to flip, you’re already taking steps forward.

A Simple Reminder

You don’t need Monday.

You don’t need January.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

You just need today.

And if you want support building those first steps into something steady, I’m here for you. Let’s start your journey now.

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