Today is Blue Monday and it is a beautiful day in Scotland as I type. Many of us are now aware that Blue Monday is actually a made up day, yet words and labels can be powerful and I think that it is important that we take time to challenge them. Nobody should be able to dictate what should be the ‘most depressing day of the year’. We all have struggles and battles to face but there really is beauty in every day, if you just set a little time aside to see it.
Here are 33 ways to make blue Monday beautiful, of course these can be used to make any day beautiful. You do you and always remember to sing your own song.
1. Get out in nature and take a minute (or more) to look up at the sky in wonder. No matter what is going on, we all get to see the same glorious sky.
2. Have a cold shower to mix things up a bit and get a natural high. Squeal like a child as the cold water shocks you.
3. Jump in a cold reservoir, breathe, scream, whoop and feel the power of nature.
4 -Meet a friend or colleague for a coffee and have a chat.
5 -Check in on a friend you have not spoken to in a while to see how they are.
6 – Send someone a beautiful handwritten card.
7 – Buy yourself a gift such as a lovely notebook, candle, or some fresh flowers.
8 – Give someone a hug and hold it for at least 20 seconds. Long hugs feel so good.
9 – Take a different route, walk somewhere new.
10 – Make a note of 3 compliments you have had. Write them down and take a moment to feel thankful for the people who gave you them.
11 – Make something for yourself from scratch. Try a new recipe.
12 – Listen to some tunes that you loved when you were a teenager.
13 – Turn a song that you love up high and twerk in private, commit to it. Shake off the worries of the day.
14 – Sit by a warm fire and just be still.
15 – Make a hot drink and drink it from the best china.
16 – Look through some old photos and feel thankful for those memories.
17 – Wear the brightest clothes you can find.
18 – Buy your favorite chocolate bar and enjoy it slowly and mindfully. Offer a piece to someone.
19 – Clear out an old drawer.
20 – Pass a book that you loved onto a friend.
21 – Don’t watch the news for a day (or a week).
22 – Take a social media detox.
23 – Make a pizza bagel (top bagels how you like and grill, so easy, so tasty).
24 – Write a new mantra.
25 – Take time to stretch your body. Child’s pose is lovely and the swan pose is great for the legs.
26 – Put some spa music on and apply some essential oil on your wrist/arms/neck and lie on your bed.
27 – Colour in a picture and feel yourself unwind. Create something, embrace art therapy.
28 – Let something go that has been bothering you and breathe. Surrender, forgive, let it all go.
29 – Try a cruffin.
30 – Make time to watch the sunset.
31 – Write someone a nice message on a post-it note.
32 – Try laughter yoga, sometimes once you start laughing it is hard to stop.
33 – Make a list of things you missed during lockdown that you want to tick off this year.
You got this.
