Here’s to Happy Monday instead.
You may have seen my post on Facebook last week, frustrated with the continued press coverage of Blue Monday. Every year it’s rolled out, telling us that the unhappiest day of the year is upon us. Well, I say B0**0**$ to it!
How can one day be ‘scientifically’ defined as the least happy day of the year for anyone, let alone everyone? We’ve had to suffer an endlessly negative news cycle for the past who knows how many years now, with the doom and gloom of Brexit followed by apocalyptic levels of misery heaped upon us when COVID hit.
Yes, there have been some hard times, and there’s no denying that many of us have found things tough and had plenty of reasons to feel low, but there’s no need to pre-condition people’s minds to have them believing they’ll feel low just because it’s a certain day on the calendar.
Here’s why I say let’s call Monday 17th January 2022 Happy Monday instead:
The power to be happy is in your hands
I’ve posted and written about happiness many times over the years. It’s something that we place great importance on in modern society, yet we’ve got a little muddled about exactly what happiness is and how we achieve it.
First off, we think that we need to find some sort of permanent state of happiness. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, being permanently happy would be really weird. You may have read the studies done on lottery jackpot winners that demonstrated how the initial win led to increased perceived levels of happiness but, in the long term, day-to-day happiness levels were similar to people who hadn’t picked the winning numbers.
Whilst more cash definitely led to more financial satisfaction and fewer financial worries, everyday happiness appeared no different. And that’s because happiness, much like fitness, can’t be stored. You need to keep taking daily action to keep you feeling happy. Seeing friends and family, getting out for a walk in the countryside, playing a game, taking time for hobbies and pastimes, achieving things in your career, or learning something new are just a handful of the things that you can do to maintain decent levels of happiness.
There have also been some fascinating studies done on happiness and smiling. We know that when we are happy, we smile, but did you know that smiling can make you happy? Curling the sides of your mouth up at the sides can trigger your brain to release those happy hormones and, as a result, make you feel like smiling even more! Just another little piece of evidence to show how the things you do can positively impact how you feel.
January is a beautiful month
Blue Monday is based on some sort of misconception that January is a horrible month. I’d like to ask you to question that assertion. What about the beauty of the frosty mornings, the intense brightness of the sun so low in the sky, amazing sunrises and even more amazing sunsets, the potential chance of snoooooooooooooooooooooooow, the calm after the hectic festive period and a return to familiar routines, great new series to watch on your tellybox, the increasing feeling of wellbeing as your diet starts to improve and you get back to more regular exercise, the excitement of goals, plans, and adventures that lie ahead in the new year.
And, if all of that doesn't whet your appetite for January, why not search out your Scottish heritage in the family tree and get ready to celebrate Burns Night on the 25th of this month.
There are always things to be happy about
If you can open your mind to the possibilities, you’ll find that there are always that can put a smile on your face. Look for those tiny moments of joy and you may well find that your whole worldview starts to change. You’ll be able to let world affairs and news drift over you and discover great satisfaction in daily life. A text from a friend, the amazing patterns the ice makes on your car windscreen, the taste of your favourite food or drink, the chirp of a robin sitting by your window, happiness is all around you if you just look for it.
I can tell you that we’ve found much joy in recent years by practising gratitude for the many great things in our lives. You can simply list things in your head, or get a journal and record the things you have been grateful for today before you go to sleep.
Some Monday mood-lifting inspiration
If you still need some help to put a little cheer in your day this Monday, why not do one of the following:
Get in touch with a friend or, even better, catch up face-to-face for a cuppa.
Rekindle an old hobby. Get that guitar out of the cupboard under the stairs, pick up your crafting skills, start reading that book you’ve been meaning to start, whatever it is that enables you to feel like you.
Book yourself onto a course. If that’s too much, do a quick bit of research into a subject that fascinates you, a period from history, your family tree, or some fun facts about where you live.
Pop your favourite tunes on. Music is well-known to be a great mood-lifter. And science says it can be absolutely anything, as long as it’s something you love.
Fuss your pets (or go see a friend and fuss theirs if you don’t have one).
Treat yourself to your favourite meal or drink, or maybe just something from the local bakery or coffee shop.
Smile.
My own recipe for happiness
Use your time to do what you love. Spend your time with the people you love. See problems as challenges. Keep looking for solutions, there is always a way. Be curious. Never stop being childish. Focus on the positives. Be grateful for the many wonderful things your life brings. Eat well but remember that this includes room for your favourite things. Get outside. Move. Smile.
