You Don’t Have to Be Blue on Blue Monday

It can be hard to feel full of the joys in January. Christmas feels like a distant memory, it’s still cold and dark, and you’re starting to feel the effects of your December spending.

Today has been dubbed ‘Blue Monday,’ apparently the most depressing day of the year. It’s usually the third Monday in January, which is often the point when your money is running out and your new year’s resolutions have gone out of the window.

But do we need to be blue on Blue Monday, or can we make the best of it, and decide that we’re going to change the way we think about it?

Change the story you tell yourself

It’s very easy to think negatively, and we all do it sometimes. Often it’s a state of mind. For example, you wake up later than you hoped for work, so you rush around at 100mph in a negative and irritable frame of mind, and things go wrong. You can’t have a cuppa because you’ve run out of milk, you get stuck at every red light on the way, and when you get into work, you see an email from the boss who wants that piece of work done NOW. I’m not saying that everything that happened that morning was because of your state of mind, but it was your state of mind that made you feel much more stressed and anxious.

So what do you do? If negative thinking is causing you untoward stress and anxiety, you can reframe the way you think about things. Here’s how:

Ask yourself if your negative thoughts are realistic

Maybe you thought that your boss would surely fire you if you’re late. This thought probably only made you more stressed. Ask yourself if it’s realistic that your boss would fire you because you were late once, considering that you’re a good employee.

Reframe your negative thoughts

So instead of thinking ‘my boss is definitely going to fire me,’ think ‘I’m worried my boss will fire me but it’s more likely that they won’t because I’m a great worker.’

Practice gratitude

Before you go to bed every night, write down three things you were grateful for today, no matter how small. It could be that you had a nice phone call with a friend, you ate a nice meal, or you got to spend quality time with your partner. This will make you realise that you had a pretty good day even if you convinced yourself it was the worst.

Do things you enjoy

Taking time out to do things you enjoy is really important as it lifts your mood and takes your mind off whatever is stressing you out.

What if it’s more than just ‘the blues?’

If you have a persistent low mood, you’re often tearful, you feel hopeless, and you’ve lost interest in things you usually enjoy, you could have depression. Depression is more than just being ‘down in the dumps.’

If you identify with these symptoms, your first port of call should be your GP who will explain your treatment options which usually involve medication and/or talking therapy, and lifestyle management.

Hypnotherapy for negative thinking and depression

Hypnotherapy is an effective treatment option for depression and it can used alongside the treatment plan your GP has suggested. Here’s how it can help:

1.  It can reduce stress and help you relax. During sessions I’ll give you the tools to be able to do this on your own in between appointments.
2.  It can help support you during lifestyle changes you need to make, like giving you the motivation to exercise more, or eating a healthier diet.
3.  It can help retrain the subconscious and help you deal with any ‘unfinished business’ that might be blocking your path to recovery.
4.  Techniques like visualisation and positive affirmations can help you think more positively about things.

Are you feeling blue?

Everyone deserves to be happy and that includes you! Are negative thoughts stopping you from enjoying your life? Are destructive behaviours and unhelpful coping strategies sabotaging your efforts to live a healthier and happier life?

Contact me for a consultation to find out how hypnotherapy can help!

Mrs B x

Clinical Hypnotherapist

Registered & Insured

You have a right to be happy!