How do you feel when Monday rolls around—optimistic, or full of dread? Maybe both. Mondays often bring a mix of emotions, and while we might push through with positive affirmations or sheer willpower, there’s another way to approach the start of the week.

Rumi, the 13th-century poet, reminds us that this human experience is like a guest house, where every emotion—joy, sadness, or difficulty—is an unexpected visitor. Welcome them all, even if they bring sorrow, for each has a purpose, perhaps clearing space for new joy. Meet your thoughts and feelings with kindness, as they are guides sent to teach you something valuable.

Tara Brach expands on this idea with her concept of Radical Acceptance, which is about acknowledging reality as it is—not giving up but clearing space for creative and logical thinking.

Brach’s RAIN process can help:

• Recognize what you’re feeling.
• Acknowledge those emotions—welcome them, as Rumi suggests.
• Investigate where they reside in your body and breathe through them.
• Nurture yourself with compassion—speak to yourself as you would to a friend.

Let RAIN reset your Monday mindset and have a great week! Contact me for more ideas to “unruffle your mind” any day of the week.