Happy Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year. That sentence alone is enough to have you reaching for the whisky bottle, right?
Never heard of Blue Monday? Let us explain – the concept was first created back in 2005 by a British holiday company, based on a calculation. What may this be, you ask? Wrap your peepers around this one:
Taking in to consideration factors such as the weather, time since pay day (and the subsequent debt we’re currently in as a result), time since the happiness of Christmas and the failure of well intended New Year’s Resolutions, this formula depicts that today is officially the most depressing day of the entire year. Now even if you’re not currently affected by perma grey skies and arctic type conditions, all other factors still apply so really, no one’s escaping the blues today.
Our could you? In an act of wilful defiance against the most depressing of national days, we’ve compiled a blue’s beating list of how to survive, and win, on Blue Monday:
Get Outside
Whether this involves hitting the beach and soaking up some rays (Southern Hemisphere crew we’re looking at you with unconcealed jealousy in our near frozen eyes), a stroll through your local park or a hike to somewhere you’ve never explored before, natural light is a sure fire way to brighten your mood and stabilise your serotonin levels.
Start a new obsession
Stone broke from Christmas and looking for cost free activities to keep your mind occupied until pay day? We have 3 words for you – Making a Murderer. If you haven’t heard of or started watching Netflix’s acclaimed original documentary, we implore you to do so IMMEDIATELY. The documentary, filmed over 10 years, follows the story of Steven Avery, who was exonerated from prison after 18 years for sexual assault and attempted murder, only to find himself back in the dock 2 years later for the murder and mutilation of photographer Teresa Halbach. Did he do it? Did he not do it? You’ll literally be screaming at your TV screen for the entire duration of the 10 episodes, then spend the next 2 weeks reading/debating every article you can get your mitts on. Fans of the podcast Serial, this one’s for you.
SEE ALSO: A PODCAST FOR EVERY MOOD
Plan a holiday
There’s nothing like a spot of holiday research to brighten the mood and shine light to the otherwise very dark tunnel of January. Hop onto Amazon and use that Christmas gift card to buy yourself a few second hand Lonely Planet’s to get the inspo flowing, seek knowledge from articles detailing the best places to travel in 2016 (word up – Japan, Peru and Iceland are all the popular kids on the playground for 2016), invite your besties round to get a feel for their 2016 travel plans or take advantage of the killer deals travel companies like Contiki currently have available so as soon as pay day hits, you’ve got those travel plans in the bag.
Get out of breath
Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to release endorphins (the chemicals that make you happy) into your body, instantly making you feel like an entirely better person. Walk, jog, cycle, skip, swim, even dance all night – whatever gets your heart racing and your mouth smiling. Exercise is also one of the best mind clearers, and can help you to realign and focus your thoughts so you’re more focused, more determined, and more likely to win at your day.
Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone
Most of the time we live in the safe bubble of comfort, but you know the age old saying – life begins at the end of your comfort zone – and man we couldn’t agree more. So you’re probably not going bungee jumping day, but there are still a million and one things you can do to push the boundaries. Pluck up the confidence to text the girl you’ve got a killer crush on, ask to get involved with a challenging project at work, book a trip on your own, tell someone what you really think of them – whatever your courageous act may be, seize the day and feel an instant lift.
