Is Blue Monday really that bad?

It has been branded the worst day of the entire year (I know, tough crowd, huh?!) but is Blue Monday really that bad?

Blue Monday was actually a gimmick created by a travel company in an attempt to convince people to book a holiday, and it worked! Blue Monday is actually a big day for retailers, and with the early dark nights, the grey cold weather, the passing of the jolly Christmas festivities and the tight finances can all contribute to feeling a bit blue at this time of year.

It is safe to say that we can all pretty much agree that Monday is not the most exciting day of a week, and it is always hard to get back into the swing of things at work after a nice relaxing weekend. But aren’t we being a little bit harsh on the third Monday of January? Can we really assume it to be the most depressing day of the year? Personally I do not think so, but as with everything, it is a matter of perspective, but one thing is for sure, the media channels love to bring it to our attention every year, however, it is almost always in a negative light.

On the opposite end of the scale, almost everyone on my Twitter feed receives Blue Monday differently, with messages of positivity and “we got this” attitudes, yes January is dull and grey and pay day may seem like a lifetime ago, but there are ways of combating the Monday blues by focusing upon the things that can make us feel good so here’s what I’ll be doing to beat the blues:

• Walking with my dog before work, fresh air helps get the day started!
• Grabbing my favourite coffee to go (treating myself)
• Smiling – a lot!
• Wearing my favourite outfit and perfume

These may seems silly, but they are simple and most importantly, they all make me feel good. Although, it doesn’t deviate much from my usual routine (apart from that I grab my coffee out of my Spice Girls mug at work and I regularly change my opinions of my favourite outfit!)

If you’re having a bad day, there is some comfort, you could think of all the things you are grateful for in your life; talk to a friend over a cuppa or take a lunchtime walk, you don’t have to jump on the online sales but those are always there too if that is your thing!

Nevertheless, I don’t believe that there is a point of making a big deal out of Blue Monday, at the end of the day it is all about perspective and to me, it simply does not exist. So go ahead, enjoy your day and don’t let the Monday blues get you down.