For a few years, I’ve had this gif welcome me every Monday morning on Slack.

The vibe is like: OK LET’S DO THIS!!!! And I love it so much.

The last few years have been intense, both in the world and at work. And I feel like things are on the upward swing. So since I got back from my second sabbatical, I’ve had the sense that Wonder Woman’s aggressive posture is not a resonating vibe. I’m looking for a little more chill, less “the world is against me” – because it’s not. Every week is a new opportunity to solve exciting and interesting problems. So I went looking for Monday Morning vibe memes.

This one made me laugh and laugh, but it’s not exactly what I’m going for (poor little buddy, I want to hug him):

To be perfectly honest, I have a work with a really great group of leads and individual contributors, and I don’t show up to a water hose every Monday. Maybesome of my direct reports do, but that’s a topic for another day! For my own weekly journey, I’m looking for something a bit more chill, hopeful, and encouraging. No drama, more reality. This little squirrel buddy gets a bit closer:

Maybe a little Mr. Bean? Maybe a little too dorky.

This little buddy wants to cheer you on and the eyes aren’t quite sure what’s coming. But the effort is there. Peppermint Patty is sure the coming week is full of promise and potential. I like that balance. I’ll try them out for a few weeks and see how it goes!