Blue Monday is a pseudo-scientific theory that ascribes the third Monday in January as the most despressing day of the year.
In early 2000, Sky Travel, a large UK-based travel agency claimed that this is the most depressing day of the year in its advertising campaign, encouraging its potential customers to book their summer tickets as soon as possible.
In 2005, Dr. Cliff Arnall, a psychologist at Cardiff University, came up with the following formula :
w= weather
d= debt
T= time since Christmas
Q= time since failing our New Year’s resolutions
M= low motivational levels
Na= need for action
It doesn’t matter if this is a Blue Monday. It is Monday. The day that most of us start work for the week.… The most important thing is to look for the moments in your life (whether big or small) that will make you feel better, and somehow make the tougher days more bearable.
10 secret tips to brighten up a “down” day…
– Indulge yourself: Prepare your favourite breakfast and head to the office a bit earlier. The first big victory of the day is not to stress and not to push yourself.
– Wear your favourite clothes. We all have a pair of shoes and an old-time classic jacket that flatters us and makes people turn their heads.
– Don’t torture yourself by thinking about all the chronic problems of your life that can’t be solved overnight.
– Try to only speak with people who have positive energy – these great people of your life, who make you laugh and whose voice soothes your soul.
– Even for just an hour, do something for yourself: your favourite gym routine, read your favourite book, or just go for a long walk
– Don’t talk a lot: It’s better if you don’t say that much on difficult days, as it is very probable that you might say things that you don’t really mean.
– Watch movies or your favourite TV series, nestled on the couch.
– Let your senses be revived
Taste: This is the day for you to eat your favourite food.
Smell: The freshly washed bedsheets. The smell from your freshly washed hair. The smell of mom’s homemade food.
Touch: Hug your beloved ones. Feel your favourite high quality sweater embrace your body, your skin.
Hear: Your favourite music. The timbre of the voice of your favourite people that you will always recognise.
See: Your favourite movies. Your preferred newspaper. The looks of the people you love.
– A small exaggeration is allowed. A small buy. That little something that will make you smile.
Nobody and nothing can define your mood. Only yourself. Think of all the blessings you are bestowed with and dream of and plan the ones yet to come.
Happy Blue Monday
With love
E
