Don't blame the day Rae

Rae had spent years working for others, absorbing advice, navigating office cultures, and listening to the endless chatter about the "doom" of Mondays and the "magic" of Fridays. But now, as she ventured into the world of entrepreneurship, she knew she needed a mindset shift. Seeking guidance, Rae reached out to Sylvia, an experienced successful Northern businesswoman known for her no-nonsense approach. Over a cup of tea in Sylvia's shop, Rae asked for the secret to thriving in business.

Sylvia leaned back, and smiled. “ There’s no one secret to running a profitable business, but I can tell you one thing whatever you do, Rae, don’t blame the day.”

Rae tilted her head, intrigued. “What do you mean?”

Sylvia chuckled. “Oh, you know how people talk. ‘Mondays are the worst,’ ‘Tuesdays are pointless,’ ‘Hump Day this, Fri-yay that.’ It’s all nonsense. The weather, the time of year, even the name of the day, they might nudge the mood, sure, but the truth is, the way you show up every single day will shape your success more than any outside factor. Each day is a blank canvas and you get to choose what you paint.”

Rae pondered this as Sylvia continued. “People waste so much energy cursing Mondays or waiting for Fridays, they forget the potential that every day holds. If you focus on what the day can bring you, instead of its name or reputation, you’ll get ahead of 90% of people out there.”

That night, Rae reflected on Sylvia’s words. She thought about all the names and nicknames she’d heard for days:

• Monday: the dreaded beginning.
• Tuesday: a stepping stone, nothing more.
• Wednesday: hump day, something to survive.
• Thursday: almost-there day.
• Friday: the hero, loved and celebrated.
• Saturday: the golden child of the weekend.
• Sunday: a bittersweet mix of rest and dread.

What if it wasn’t the day that was wrong? What if it was the way people approached it?

Rae remembered Sylvia’s joke: “Imagine if we switched the names. What if Monday was called Friday? People would suddenly love it! It’s all in their heads.” Rae laughed at the thought but realised the deeper truth, that every day had potential, but it was up to her to unlock it.

Rae took Sylvia’s advice into her entrepreneurial journey. Instead of dreading or glorifying certain days, she treated each one as a unique opportunity.

• On rainy Mondays, she reached out to clients who were also battling the blues, knowing a warm call could brighten their day.
• On slow Tuesdays, she tackled the tedious but necessary tasks no one else wanted to do.
• On chaotic Fridays, she worked through the noise, knowing she was building something more enduring than a weekend buzz.

Rae’s business grew. Customers noticed her energy, her consistency, and her refusal to let a "bad day" ruin her progress. Competitors envied her resilience.

Years later, Rae found herself giving advice to a young entrepreneur. She smiled, channelling Sylvia.

“Whatever you do, don’t blame the day,” Rae said. “It’s never the day’s fault. Every day is a gift. What you do with it is up to you.”

The entrepreneur nodded thoughtfully. Rae had learned the lesson well and now, she was passing it on. However she still used the mantra herself “don’t blame the day Rae” and she never did.

© RRONEILL 2024

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