How Monday Mantras with Megan Became My Unexpected Guide to Balance
Some books arrive in your life exactly when you need them. Others sit patiently on a shelf, waiting for the right moment to be opened.
Monday Mantras with Megan: Weekly Intentions for Enjoying Your Journey by Megan Weigel, DNP, was one of those books for me.
Ironically, my introduction to Megan had nothing to do with books.
I met her while working the Sisters of the Sea table during the Super Girl Surf Pro event shortly after launching Beach Body Butter. We talked about body butter, fragrances, and the winding journey that led me to create my products. As someone with sensitive skin, fragrance has always been a challenge. After experimenting with numerous combinations, I eventually developed two signature essential-oil-based scents, Miami and Venice, carefully selecting oils based on both their aroma and the wellness properties commonly associated with them.
When I explained my research process, Megan’s attention immediately shifted.
As a nurse practitioner who incorporates aromatherapy into her wellness practice, she began discussing the connection between essential oils, the mind, and overall well-being. What started as a casual conversation evolved into a thoughtful exchange about intention, self-care, and the small practices that influence how we navigate our lives.
A few weeks later, I attended her book signing and purchased a copy of Monday Mantras with Megan. Although the book waited nearly a year before I finally opened it, the timing turned out to be perfect.
The premise is straightforward: fifty-two weekly reflections designed to help readers begin each week with greater intention and awareness. Yet what could easily have become a collection of feel-good affirmations instead becomes something far more practical.
Weigel doesn’t merely tell readers to think positively. She provides a roadmap.
Each week combines a mantra, personal storytelling, aromatherapy recommendations, and yoga practices designed to reinforce a specific mindset or emotional goal. The result feels less like reading a self-help book and more like spending time with a trusted guide.
One particularly meaningful chapter focuses on Ho’oponopono, the Hawaiian practice of forgiveness and reconciliation. During Week 8, readers are encouraged to explore self-forgiveness while diffusing bergamot essential oil and repeating affirmations centered on release and healing. The combination of reflection and action transforms what could be a passive reading experience into an active practice.
Elsewhere, Weigel addresses common experiences such as restlessness, uncertainty, and overwhelm. Rather than offering vague encouragement, she pairs these emotional states with accessible yoga poses and breathing practices. Her explanation of Dandasana, or Staff Pose, is so clear and calming that readers may find themselves relaxing before ever stepping onto a yoga mat.
Perhaps the book’s greatest strength is its emphasis on grace.
Week 23’s reflection on practicing grace and mercy contains a simple but powerful reminder:
“Grace is not an excuse; it is an invitation.”
That sentiment captures the spirit of the entire book. Weigel doesn’t encourage perfection. She encourages progress, self-awareness, and compassion toward oneself and others.
For entrepreneurs, caregivers, professionals, and anyone balancing the demands of daily life, Monday Mantras with Megan offers something increasingly rare: permission to pause.
In a culture obsessed with productivity, Weigel makes a compelling case for intentionality.
This is not a book that demands to be read in a weekend. It asks readers to slow down, reflect, breathe, and return each week ready to engage more thoughtfully with life’s journey.
And perhaps that’s why it resonated with me.
As the founder of Beach Body Butter, I spend a great deal of time thinking about self-care from the outside in. Monday Mantras with Megan serves as a reminder that wellness also happens from the inside out.
A thoughtful blend of mindfulness, aromatherapy, and practical reflection that encourages readers to embrace each week with purpose, grace, and intention.