Here’s 5 tips for avoiding the blues – any day of the week!
1. Firstly, don’t believe media hype; we had Quitters Friday, now it’s Blue Monday, what’s next for goodness sake?@! Headlines like this are designed to create a self-fulfilling prophesy – don’t give into it them, only you can choose how you want your Monday to be, no-one else can do this for you.
2. Wise up to conspiracies designed to part you from your hard-earned cash – retail therapy is not the answer – yes spending gives you a short term fix, but it will only make your finances worse tomorrow!
3. Don’t be a sheep and follow the herd, it’s only a Blue Monday if you let it be one, so don’t let it, do something fun and uplifting to celebrate being alive to enjoy yet another Monday.
4. Choose to think Happy Mondays (rock band) instead and sing – singing has many therapeutic and physical benefits for banishing stress and making you feel happier.
5. Remember the Buddha’s wise words ‘this too shall pass’, so even if you are feeling a little blue, remember it’s your attitude that makes you happy or unhappy, it’s two sides of the same coin – you choose.
Feeling ‘blue’ is not the same as experiencing mental health issues. If depression is true for you, then please seek professional help, be it a life coach, a mentor, supervisor, therapist or counsellor (just remember to protect yourself by making sure whoever you choose is professionally trained and professional accredited), and don’t forget all the wonderful support networks out there such as the Samaritans who are trained to listen, because talking can be a big help.