Blue Monday
Hey.
How are you feeling?
Today is Blue Monday – supposedly the most depressing day of the year. But who decides this? Is it based on fact or is it just a PR stunt to get us all to spend money on things that may – or may not – cheer us up…🤔
According to an article in The Independent, Blue Monday was dreamt up by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004 when he was asked by Sky Travel to devise a formula for January which the firm could then use to promote their winter getaways.
Here comes the ‘science’ bit:
Arnall came up with the above formula, where W = weather, d = debt, D = monthly salary, T = time since Christmas, Q = time since failing our new year's resolutions, M = low motivational levels, and Na = the feeling of a need to take action.
The psychologist has since stated that his Blue Monday creation was never designed to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and now urges people to denounce the date, and to see it for what it truly was – a PR invention!
Easier said than done, perhaps, as we all crawl through our third lockdown in less than 12 months. The uncertainty of our current situation is so challenging – not knowing if our jobs or businesses are secure, if our loved ones are safe and when we’ll be able to be with our friends again, doing the things we love, with no restrictions.
One thing we can be certain of: together we are stronger. So if there’s someone in your thoughts today – a loved one or the person running the corner shop – take some time out of your day to find out how they are. Let them know you’re thinking of them; sometimes even a smile can completely change someone’s day.
And one last thing; don’t be so hard on yourself! If you’ve set resolutions that you’re struggling to keep – don’t worry about it; it’s not the end of the world. Right now, focus on you, and what makes you feel good.
Here’s a few more tips from the team:
💙 “Give yourself more credit for how far you’ve come in life”
💙 “Try to get outside and go for a walk at least once a day”
💙 “Stick to a routine; it’s a great way of maintaining control”
💙 “Work with what you’ve got!”
💙 “Set yourself 3-5 achievable tasks each day – write them down so you can enjoy that feeling of ticking them off when you’ve completed them!”
We’ve got this, people!!
If you are finding things tough and could do with a bit more support, you can call Mind on 0300 123 3393 or the Samaritans on 116 123.