If you feel a sudden burst of motivation on Mondays or at the start of a new month, you’re not imagining it. It’s called the fresh start effect, and it’s basically our brain’s built-in way of drawing a line in time so we can leave the past behind and begin again. For me, it often shows up in early spring; there’s just something about all that new growth and hope that triggers a creative, motivated spark in me.
In 2014, researchers explored why we are significantly more likely to pursue our goals immediately following “temporal landmarks.” These landmarks are moments that stand out from the ordinary, repetitive stream of daily life, acting as partitions in our personal timeline.
There are two main types of these “landmarks”: calendar-based and personal. Calendar landmarks are the ones many of us share, like Mondays, new months, new years, first days of school, and holidays. Personal landmarks are more individual: birthdays, moves, new jobs, recovery milestones, or quiet private events.
These moments are powerful because they trigger two key shifts in our thinking. First, they allow for a divorce from our past selves. By creating a psychological “disconnect,” we can look back at our previous struggles and attribute them to a former version of ourselves. This makes our current self feel more capable, optimistic, and less burdened by past mistakes. “That was me then, not me now.”
Second, these moments encourage big-picture thinking, interrupting the small, tedious details of the daily grind and prompting us to take a higher-level view of our lives. Reminding us to see the forest, not just the trees.
According to the research, people tend to take action when these temporal landmarks appear. Google searches for “diet” rise by about 14% every Monday and jump 82% at the start of a new year. University gyms see attendance climb by a third on Mondays and nearly 50% at the start of each semester. Even on goal-setting platforms like stickK.com, commitment rates rise 63% on Mondays and 145% on New Year’s Day. The internal human drive to turn a new page and try again is remarkably strong.
For those living with ADHD, this effect can be even more powerful. ADHD often creates a sense of unfinished business that carries and multiplies from day to day, making it hard to find a true “beginning.” Temporal landmarks act like a mental reset button, making it easier to take that first step.
✨ A little light for later ✨
The Self-Love Jar
When doubt creeps in, use this jar to remind yourself how wonderful you really are. (Science says that reminders of our own awesomeness build a “psychological immune system” against self-doubt.)
Check out the Self-Love Jar here →While the fresh start effect can give us a welcome initial spark, we know that motivation is a finicky, skiddish, fair-weather friend that’s likely to disappear without warning. Instead of letting it turn into another “should,” that we will inevitably shame ourselves for later, there are a few gentle actions we can take to keep the momentum going.
Keep it tiny and tangible. Resist the urge to overhaul everything in your life when you feel super motivated; that’s just a direct, tried-and-true path to burnout. It’s what I struggle with the most, to be honest. When I get that magical burst of motivation, I have to stop myself from trying to do all of the things and burning through all of my creative motivation and physical energy almost immediately. Instead, try to choose something tiny and specific you can do today, like spending ten minutes at your desk after breakfast or going for a short walk. Small wins help you build trust in yourself.
Set your own personal micro-resets. Monday is the most frequent and accessible landmark we have, but if they feel too heavy and overwhelming to you, declare Wednesday morning your own personal “Start Day.” It really doesn’t matter; there is no one in charge here.
Feel your goal. Instead of just picturing success, imagine how it might feel. If your goal is to walk 15 minutes a day, then maybe think about the morning sun on your skin, or the quiet satisfaction of finishing something. Connecting a positive emotion makes the action easier to revisit and less intimidating later.
Find some gentle accountability. Tell a friend what you’re working toward. Let them celebrate your efforts, not just your results. A kind witness to your goals can sometimes be just what you need to keep that fragile little spark burning.
Honor all of your victories. Every completion, no matter how small, deserves recognition. Take a deep breath, smile, give yourself a “whoohoo!” or do a quick little victory dance. Tiny celebrations train your brain to value progress more than perfection.
When the enthusiasm dips, as it always will eventually, just try to meet yourself with kindness and compassion, like you would offer a friend. There is always another Monday, another morning, another chance. We are biologically designed to have repeated opportunities to try again.
If these words found a home in your heart today, I’d be thrilled if you subscribed to the Propagating Self-Love newsletter. I send out weekly(ish) notes on self-love, the science of resilience, and the messy, beautiful art of learning to bloom where you are.