Most people plan their week. I plan my feelings. How 15 minutes changed my Sundays from scary to the best part of my week
I used to hate Sundays.
You know that feeling, right? Sunday hits and your brain goes crazy. “Oh no, Monday is coming. I have so much to do. I’m not ready. This week is gonna suck.”
I tried everything. Fancy planners. Apps. Writing lists until my hand hurt.
Nothing worked.
Then I found something simple that changed everything.
Why Planning Sucks
Most people plan like robots. Monday: meeting. Tuesday: gym. Wednesday: whatever.
But life isn’t like that. Things change. Stuff happens. Your perfect plan falls apart by Tuesday and you feel like crap.
I was stuck doing this every week. Plan everything Sunday, watch it blow up, hate myself, do it again next Sunday.
Then I stopped planning tasks and started planning feelings.
Sounds weird, but it works.
My 3 Magic Questions
Every Sunday, I sit with coffee and ask myself three questions. That’s it. Takes maybe 15 minutes.
Question 1: What made me feel good about myself this week?
Not what I got done. Not what looked cool on Instagram. What made me think “Yeah, that was me being awesome.”
Sometimes it’s big stuff. “I finally told my friend she hurt my feelings.” Sometimes it’s tiny. “I didn’t eat the whole bag of chips.”
Doesn’t matter how small. Just what made you proud to be you.
Question 2: What made me feel tired this week?
Real talk – this one’s hard. We’re taught to just push through everything. But some stuff drains your soul.
My answers surprise me. It’s not always obvious stuff like mean people or long days. Sometimes it’s saying yes when I wanted to say no. Sometimes it’s pretending to care about things I don’t care about.
You can’t avoid everything that drains you. But you can notice what does it so you can make better choices.
Question 3: How do I want to feel next Sunday?
Not what I want to do. Not what I want to buy. How I want to feel.
“I want to feel calm.” “I want to feel excited.” “I want to feel like I matter.” “I want to feel proud of myself.”
This question changed everything. Instead of cramming my week with stuff, I pick things that will make me feel good.
Why This Actually Works
Most planning is about doing stuff. This is about feeling stuff.
It’s yours. Nobody can tell you what should make you proud. Only you know what drains you.
It’s honest. You can’t lie to yourself. Either something made you feel good or it didn’t.
It’s not scary. You’re not planning your whole life. Just thinking about next Sunday.
What I Actually Do
Same thing every week:
11 AM, coffee shop. Same spot. My brain knows what’s up.
Write the questions down. On paper, not my phone. Something about writing makes me more honest.
Say whatever comes to mind first. No editing. No making it sound smart.
Look for patterns. What keeps showing up? What keeps bugging me?
Pick three things for next week. Three small things that might help me feel how I want to feel.
Done. 15 minutes.
What Changed
Sunday stopped being scary. Not because my life got easier, but because I stopped trying to control everything.
My weeks got better. When you know how you want to feel, it’s easier to say no to stuff that doesn’t fit.
I started liking myself more. When you notice what makes you proud, you realize you’re actually pretty cool.
I make better choices. “Will this help me feel good?” became my question for almost everything.
The Weird Good Stuff
I work less but get more done. When you focus on feelings instead of just checking boxes, you pick stuff that actually matters.
People like me more. “I want to feel connected” meant I started having real talks instead of just small talk.
I stopped caring what other people think. Hard to compare yourself when you’re focused on what makes you feel good.
Try It This Sunday
You don’t need anything fancy. Just grab a pen and ask:
- What made me feel good about myself this week?
- What made me feel tired this week?
- How do I want to feel next Sunday?
Be real. Don’t try to sound wise. Just notice what’s true.
Then pick three tiny things for next week that might help you feel how you want to feel.
The Real Deal
Most people spend Sunday night scared of Monday morning. I spend Sunday night excited about who I might be this week.
Same life. Different focus.
These questions taught me something big: you can’t control what happens to you, but you can choose what you pay attention to. And what you pay attention to changes how your life feels.
The point: Planning your to-do list is fine. Planning your feelings is magic. 15 minutes every Sunday can change how every day feels.
