How to beat SAD this Blue Monday!

This Monday is ‘Blue Monday’ which is officially the most depressing day of year! Oh Joy! We mean, we can kind of understand why, with the holiday festivities well and truly over, all it seems that we have been left with is just cold, dark, January days.

So, if you’re feeling a little unmotivated, fed up and just a little downright SAD don’t panic! It’s pretty standard to be feeling a little glum at this time of year, and to be honest…we don’t really blame you! However, what you’re probably less aware of is that, in fact, you’re suffering from SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder! Yeah, believe it or not, it’s a thing!

Well we’re here to turn this SAD effect on its head, just in time for ‘Blue Monday’ (does blue really have to be such a negative thing?) with our simple and yet effective top tips on how to tackle SAD!

As the saying goes, “You are what you eat” and your most certainly not going to feel like an utter god(ess) whilst chomping down on an extra large, pepperoni passion, stuffed crust, double decadence Dominos pizza every night!

(we definitely don’t do that… *whistles*)

Essential oils influence the area of the brain that’s responsible for controlling moods. So grab yourself some poplar tree oils (the gold medal of oils for SAD) to add to your bath at night to help you relax.

Socialising is great to help ward off the winter blues. Make an effort to keep in touch with the people you care about and accept any invitations you get to social events, even if you only go for a little while. Sometimes all it takes is a good giggle with the squad!

Now this is a great and really effective way to implement a positive mindset! We stumbled across an article called ‘How a password saved my life’ and boy he wasn’t kidding.

The writer explains that his work would make employees change their passwords every 30 days for security purposes passwords. Currently going through a pretty tough time with a divorce he decided to channel his frustration into this silly computer password which became… “Forgive@h3r”. Okay so while it doesn’t seem like a big gesture, this teeny tiny action of typing this password several times a day soon made him change the way he viewed his ex and therefor drastically improving his mindset. Interesting huh.

Anyway, so the point is that one small daily affirmation, like making your computer password a phrase or keyword that describes your goals, can instigate a huge change, here are some we thought would be useful…

Happiness
Think positively
Kill them with kindness
Quit smoking/caffeine/drinking/swearing
Think it through
Do my best
You’ve got this
I am perfect how I am

…You get the picture

Although we hate to admit it, It’s a common fact that daily exercise can help alleviate your mood! Sorry guys but it’s time to get moving! Outdoor exercise is the most beneficial for SAD, but as it’s pretty baltic still then head to a gym! TOP TIP: Try to grab a treadmill or other elliptical machine as close to the window as possible to get that extra bit of brightness!

For those of you that aren’t familiar with Hal Elrod’s best seller ‘The Miracle Morning’ – this is a self-help book with a concept developed to help you start your day on a positive and productive note and to generally make your smile that much wider…and all you need to do to begin is…set your alarm an hour early! Now, before you go running for the hills (or duvet) hear us out!

Hal advises to use that extra hour of time you created by implementing what he likes to call the ‘Life S.A.V.E.R.S.’

So, don’t you dare hit that snooze button! Instead, get that ass up, down a glass of water, brush those teeth and jump into your comfiest gym kit ready to start your Life S.A.V.E.R.S.

Silence – Use this time for reflection, meditation and deep breathing
Affirmation – Develop and repeat your positive affirmations
Visualization – A moment to visualize your goals and what you would like to achieve
Exercise – Benefit mentally from physical exercise with a brief workout
Read – Develop your mind by reading a few pages from a wellbeing book
Scribing – Write down your thoughts by keeping and reviewing a journal

So, these six basics should make your Miracle Morning a success and you should finish feeling like you’re ready to take on the world and whatever it throws at you!
Honestly, give it a go!

Finally, what better way to boost your mood completely then to book a holiday! Not only are our 2018 reservations going LIVE very soon but we’ve also got a fabulous hotel offer to help you get that one step closer to Ibiza 2018!

Can we get a hell yeah!