How can we beat Blue Monday?

Today (Monday, 18th January) is meant to be the saddest day of the year, but with a year like 2020 and how 2021 has started is that still the case? I would sometimes suggest that instead of using a date to identify how we feel we should have a good look within and try to identify what is it that is making us feel “blue”?

Blue Monday started after a UK Travel Company, Sky Travel, claimed in a 2005 press release “to have calculated the date using an “equation.” It takes into account weather conditions and thus only applies to the Northern Hemisphere.” (Wikipedia)

To me this sounds slightly ironic with the year we have just had. January can be a challenging month for many, the festivities are over (and with that school and work are back), most people probably didn’t get a chance to spend Christmas the way they would have liked, some went a bit over on the drinking and eating with not so much exercise, some might still be paying bills generated in December and there is, of course, the lack of sunlight and all the benefits it brings (i.e. mood improvement, vitamin D, etc).

There are a number of ways to combat the feeling of “Blue Monday”, personally I like going for walks, writing/journaling, exercising, meditating or having a nice chat with one of my friends.

Having said, I wonder if sometimes, instead of using a date to justify how we feel we should have a good look within and try to identify what is it that is making us feel “blue” be that the third Monday of January or any other day of the year.

In addition, counselling can also help as it encourages you to dig deeper. It could be finding out what is it really about that specific day, place, smell that makes you feel “blue”? Once we increase our self-awareness, we are more likely to act upon what is going on.

The therapist won’t be able to tell you what to do (sorry!) but they will certainly walk by your side as you discover your way onto a better path.

As someone wise said, “If you can’t go outside, go within.”

What about you - how do you add other colours to your 'blue days'?

---

Rose Andrade-Patten is an Integrative Counsellor, based in the UK (Chelmsford), currently offering online and telephone counselling to adults and couples.