Yesterday was Blue Monday according to Wikipedia. They state “Blue Monday is a name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) claimed to be the most depressing day of the year”.
Pseudoscience or reality?
The idea of Blue Monday is considered pseudoscience, with its formula derided by scientists as nonsensical. But is it? So many people claim to be feeling the blues with the excitement and build up of Christmas long gone, payday still so far away and the cold, miserable weather all adding to the melancholy.
So enough of the sad, downturned faces – we have decided to call today Cheer up Tuesday, let’s change our thinking.
A new fresh start
Damon Nailor, a life coach says to “look at each new day as a fresh start, clean slate, and another chance to reboot and be better and more productive than the previous day. Blue Monday is no exception!” Sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring about a better frame of mind.
Lauren Clemett from Ultimate Business Propellor believes “It is often the basic things we overlook or take for granted, like a roof over our heads, food in the fridge, family and friends, people who care about us or things we look forward to.”
How are you feeling?
How you feel, is affected by your thinking and your physiology. If you’re sat there slouched at your desk, feeling sluggish and your thinking drifts into negative or unhelpful thinking it will have a negative impact on your feelings and of course your day. What you look for you always get – so if you want to lift your mood today (or any day) you need to do something different and here are 5 ways to help …
5 ways to lift your mood any day!
1. Get Moving!– exercise is proven to release endorphins which naturally make your feel happier. It doesn’t have to be lots of exercise, but simply getting outside for a 20 minute walk today at lunchtime, going for a swim, taking the kids out on their bikes, walking your dog after work or raising your heart rate in some other way is great for us both physically and emotionally.
2. Have a word with yourself!– if you continually tell yourself how awful the winter is, how bad it is that you’ve got to wait another week until your get paid, how hard everything is, how everyone’s got it in for you etc. you are focusing your efforts on getting more of what you don’t want. Your mind works on the basis of what you focus on you get. So, focus on all the things you are grateful for and want more of in your life. As you go about your day, stop and notice 5 things you are grateful for. As soon as you start to focus on being grateful you’ll find your mood improves and the more you look for, the more you find.
3. Practice Mindfulness in Nature– as you go about your day today notice the things in your environment such as the snowdrops that have just come to life, the daffodils that are poking through the ground and will soon be in bloom. Notice the sound of loved ones nearby, the fresh air on your face and the warmth of that lovely cup of your favourite tea/coffee! Getting outside and getting the sunlight on your skin can boost the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin. Researchers say that due to the shorter days in winter we should make an extra effort to get out into the sunlight even for just 30 minutes.
4. Plan to do something you enjoy today– plan your next holiday, you don’t have to book it, just get lost in the planning of it. Or perhaps treat yourself to something you enjoy like a nice dinner, relaxing with your favourite film or diving into a deep bubble bath. How about spending some time on a hobby or making time for your friends and family. You could book one of our courses!
5. Look after you!– eat foods you know help you feel energised, take time for you however that pans out, reading, walking, spending time with people who make you feel good, get an early night to re-charge or perhaps plan something nice for later in the year, something you can look forward to.
Above all, know that you can take steps every day to lift your mood, change your thinking and turn any day into a great day!
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If you’d like to learn about how our NLP Courses can help you Unleash Your Potential in Business and Life by helping you change your thinking, get in touch!
