Happy Thursday!
Did you know that next Monday (15th January) is so-called “Blue Monday?”
When you open your social media and emails on Monday morning, prepare to be told all about how Blue Monday is the most miserable, depressing day of the year.
Now, starting your day by being told it’s the most depressing day of the year is probably a surefire way to make sure you have a depressing day…
But actually, Blue Monday is not a real thing. It was made up for a travel company advertising campaign in 2005.
They wanted more of us to book a holiday in January, so they used “an equation” to calculate the third Monday of the year as the most “blue.”
Essentially, we’ve all been hoodwinked by a marketing campaign, tricked into thinking one particular day is going to be miserable and depressing.
I wonder how much of this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with people walking around feeling miserable because they’ve read that it’s going to be a miserable day!
So my Mental Sunshine tip for this week is to bear this in mind – not only on “blue” Monday but every day.
Instead of posting on social media about what a depressing day it is, perhaps we could all vow to spread a little cheer instead and counteract all the doom and gloom.
Do you have a particularly photogenic pet you could post photos of?
A silly joke or meme?
Something nice that’s happened to you lately?
Perhaps you could just publicly thank someone who’s done something nice for you.
Rather than be told it’s a sad day, find a way to make it a brighter day for you and those around you.
I think between us, we could make a difference in many people’s lives
And knowing we’ve done that will of course mean more Mental Sunshine for us!
PS I do like Blue Monday – but the song version by New Order
