What if Monday is not the villain of your week, but the misunderstood hero?
In It’s Monday!, Jane Mbagi Mutua (aka JMM) turns dread into design, routine into renewal, and tea into theology.
I just finished reading it… and I’m already preparing for Take Two. This time, with a highlighter and journal in hand.
Here’s my witty, wise and practical review of Jane Mbagi Mutua’s refreshing manifesto for gratitude, growth and Monday redemption.
Monday Has Been Framed for Years
For years, Monday has suffered from terrible PR.
It arrives quietly every seven days. Yet gets blamed for everything, from unfinished emails to emotional instability.
Memes mock it. Employees fear it. Alarm clocks weaponize it.
Then along comes Jane Mbagi Mutua with a calm smile, a cup of tea, and a literary ceasefire.
Jane Mbagi Mutua’s Gentle Rebellion Against Cynicism
Her book, It’s Monday! Thoughts to Kick Start Your Week, is part motivation manual, part reflection journal, part life toolkit, and part emotional rescue mission.
It does not shout at you. It does not bully you into success.
It simply invites you to begin again. Wisely, gratefully, and intentionally.
And frankly, that may be exactly what many of us need.
A Book Written by Someone Who Has Actually Lived
Some books on mindset are written by people who discovered optimism last Thursday.
This one is not.
Jane Mbagi Mutua writes from the credibility of experience. Professional, personal, and emotional.
I first met Jane in my early career days, circa 2008/09. I was still finding my footing in donor-funded education work in Dadaab Refugee Camp.
Back then, I was a fresh graduate.
Trying to understand the labyrinth of conflict recovery. Reconstruction. Emergency response. Acronyms and office printers that never worked.
Jane, even then, carried the poise of someone who had both the map and the compass.
She has built a respected career in international development. Leadership, people management and service.
That matters, because It’s Monday! is not theory from a mountaintop.
It is insight forged in meetings, deadlines, setbacks, responsibilities, family life, grief, ambition, and grace.
This is what gives the book weight.
The Central Idea: Monday Is a Reset Button
Jane’s thesis is deceptively simple:
Monday is not punishment.
Monday is possibility.
Throughout the book, she reframes the start of the week as a blank canvas. A design template. A sacred reset button life gives us every seven days.
That idea alone is worth the cover price.
Because most people do not need another productivity hack. They need emotional architecture.
Jane offers that.
Science Meets Soul
What makes the book refreshing is that it blends mindset with evidence-backed practices:
- Mindfulness
- Weekly goal setting
- Community support
- Gratitude journaling
- Positive affirmations
- Movement and exercise
- Reflection and reframing setbacks
She makes a practical case that positivity is not denial. It is discipline.
And after each chapter, she nudges the reader toward action. She even includes a blank page titled Personal Notes and Reflections.
That is brilliant.
Because Jane does not just want admirers. She wants practitioners.
The Quiet Depth Beneath the Pages
This book is warm, but not shallow.
Jane briefly references the loss of her son. That changes how you read everything else.
You begin to understand that this optimism is not cosmetic. It is costly.
Anyone can preach joy from comfort. It is different when joy has survived grief. That is why the tone of the book feels grounded rather than sugary.
Tea, Trails and Sunrises
There is something deeply human in how Jane writes.
You meet a woman who loves:
- Hiking
- Journaling
- Beach walks
- Personal growth
- Sunrises and sunsets
- Helping others rise too
- Tea (black, herbal, comforting, ceremonial tea)
This matters because the book quietly teaches that resilience is often built in ordinary rituals.
Not grand gestures.
Tea. Breath. Goals. Walks. Gratitude. Repeat.
Some Quotes That Fit This Book Beautifully
Jane includes many quotes and reflections. Here are a few classics that echo her spirit:
“The future depends on what you do today.” Mahatma Gandhi
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Robert Collier
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Commonly attributed to Aristotle
Why This Book Deserves a Place on Your Desk, Bedside and Gift List
Who Should Read This Book?
Buy this if you are:
- A journal lover
- In a life reset season
- A tea lover (obviously)
- Recovering from burnout
- Tired of dreading Mondays
- A parent balancing too much
- A young professional needing structure
- Rebuilding after loss or disappointment
- Someone who wants growth without hype
- Leading teams and needing emotional stamina
Who Should Gift This Book?
Gift it to:
- A friend job-hunting
- Your hardworking spouse
- A colleague battling burnout
- A graduate starting career life
- High schoolers and school leavers
- A sibling needing encouragement
- Yourself (the most neglected employee in your company)
Where to Buy
📘 Nuria Bookstore: Ksh. 1,800
📘 Keswick Bookstore: Ksh.1,800
📘 Amazon: Kindle ($9.99); Paperback ($15)
📘 TENAJ Bookstore: Ksh. 1,800 (+254 776 086025)
📘 Directly from Jane Mbagi Mutua: [LinkedIn; Facebook]
My Honest Verdict
I have just finished reading It’s Monday! … and I already want Take Two.
This time with:
- My journal
- A highlighter
- Sticky notes, and
- Enough humility
Jane may have solved some things many of us are still complaining about.
This book does not promise overnight transformation.
It offers something better:
A repeatable weekly rhythm.
And in a chaotic world, rhythm is gold.
If You Enjoyed This Review, Read These Earlier Reflections on Growth & Resilience
- 🎯 Building Resilience: Lessons from Hosting Two Webinars
- 🔄 Forced Reset: When Losing a Job Becomes Finding Yourself Again
- 📅 One Year Since I Lost My Job
- 🌿 Ashes of My Soul: The Memoir That Turns Heartbreak into Hallelujah
Comment Prompt
What is your current relationship with Monday? Enemy, acquaintance, or business partner?
What one ritual could improve it this week?
#ItsMonday #JaneMbagiMutua #BookReview #MondayMotivation #GrowthMindset #KenyanAuthors #Resilience #Leadership #Wellness #PersonalGrowth
I write because people’s stories matter. If yours is ready to be shared. Triumph, tragedy, or something in between, my inbox is open. 📩 j.mungai@hotmail.co.uk
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