Well, tomorrow is Blue Monday which is officially "the most depressing day of the year". Apparently this date only applies to those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere and was calculated by a university professor using this equation:
Although, it is also speculated that all of this official "Blue Monday" talk was a publicity stunt put on by a travel agency to try to increase business.
Either way, I think we can all agree that about mid January, the cold weather, potentially failed New Years resolutions and darkness that creeps in at 4:30pm starts to get old.
Here are some things you can do to help yourself get over the "Blue Monday" blues!
#1. Help Others. Even if you are feeling pretty dark right now, I promise, helping others will make you feel better. Some of the darkest times I've had, have been made better by volunteering my time helping the less fortunate. A few experiences that stand out for me are when I helped build a house with Habitat For Humanity, and a personal fav is when I volunteered at a local animal sanctuary. Animals (usually) always happen to be cuddly and listen to anything I want to complain about, so it's kind of perfect. Check out your local community volunteer options, I promise you won't regret it.
#2. Treat yourself to a relaxing spa day. Do a water circuit, get a massage, or even a mani/pedi will do. If you don't have much money, thats okay! You can totally do a DIY spa day with a face mask and a foot soak for under $20. If you choose a DIY spa day, make sure to unplug, relax and put on some calming music and incense if you can!
#3. Be Grateful. I know, it's easier said than done but seriously, you have a lot to be grateful for. We tend to get into this bratty mentality of thinking everything should be going our way 100% of the time but that's not the case for anyone, I promise. If you need a reminder, take a notebook out and make a list of all the things you are grateful for. Don't stop until you have at least 10 items on your list. Seeing it in writing might help put things into perspective.
#4. Find a new hobby. I don't know if it's just adulthood or the way the world has become but remember when people used to do things with their time instead of just sitting on their phone? It's 100% more satisfying spending 2 hours drawing, colouring, painting, reading and learning something new rather than scrolling through Instagram. I have been trying to learn Greek for about 6 months (on and off) and I have to say, it feels good doing something challenging with my time, even if I'm not grasping it quite as quickly as I thought I would. Find something that interests you, put in the time, challenge yourself and have fun with it! Always wanted to try painting? Give it a whirl! Even if you aren't good at it, who cares. Just have fun with it!
#5. Exercise. I know, it's cliche and I might have just lost some of you but seriously, science proves that exercising releases endorphins and lifts your mood. Plus, there's not really a down side to exercising.
#6. Connect with Others. Whether you can do it in person or find an online community that you can connect with, find others with similar interests. When I first moved to Toronto I didn't know anyone and honestly didn't really have any hobbies but I was vegetarian so I decided to join a couple of vegetarian groups and it changed my life. I met so many amazing people, some of which I am still close with 10 years later. It will make you feel less alone and you might even make life long connections!
I hope that you can take some of these ideas and incorporate them into making your life happy and healthy!
If you or anyone you know is struggling, please remember there are ALWAYS options and that you are NOT alone. Please call: 1-833-456-4566 - 24/7 Support for anyone in Canada
Lots of love!
