Let’s Turn Blue Monday…Black & White
It’s not the catchiest name, but we want to use today to try & take things back to basics when it comes to mental fitness…basically make it pretty black & white.
For those who don’t know, today (Monday 15th Jan 2024) is termed ‘Blue Monday’ by many - supposedly the most depressing day of the year as the post-Christmas mundanity sets in, & those New Year’s resolutions begin to slip.
The reality however, if you weren’t already aware, is that Blue Monday was conjured up by a travel firm looking to flog a few more holidays, & then suddenly it became another promotional opportunity for brands to try and sell you something you probably don’t need.
Whilst said travel firm did invest in some research to back their claims behind Blue Monday, the reality is, it puts a huge amount of emphasis on your mental wellbeing on just one day of the year, when we know that it’s something we should be trying to work on 365 days a year, or as often as possible.
Much like with my attempts to burn off the extra mince pies & mulled wines I had over Christmas, if I went to the gym and ate healthy for just one day, I think we can all agree that I would see absolutely no difference.
Mental fitness is exactly the same; making changes for one day isn’t going to have much effect, however, small regular steps, as often as possible, can help to make a huge, & lasting difference. If you’re interested in some simple steps to improve your mental fitness, check out our 7 Steps To Mental Fitness which include things like exercising, eating well & getting enough sleep.
The problem with ‘Blue Monday’ is that the most depressing day of the year is a very individual thing. Whilst some of us will no doubt feel down during January, for many, it could be a great month, & therefore overlooks when things take a dip later in the year.
What today allows for, is to create an anchor point to get more people thinking about their mental health year round, & to highlight the steps they can take to improve their wellbeing. We often liken it to trying to get fitter; we all know that moving more, eating less and getting plenty of sleep will generally see us get a bit healthier. The process is very similar with our mental health.
So we want to turn Blue Monday Black & White (& no, it’s not just because our logo is black & white). The simple goal is to start 2024 getting back to the basics of mental fitness, & focusing on those small steps we can take that we can stick to year round.
That’s why we think this is the perfect time to make a commitment to get involved in your rugby club this weekend. Whether it’s committing to playing, or simply just turning up to support your local side, whether they play in the Premiership or at level 7.
We know that being involved in a rugby club, in whatever capacity ticks a number of boxes of the ways to wellbeing, & so our hope is that by making the commitment for this weekend, you will start to build the habit of regularly getting involved (if you aren’t already), & ensure that you stay engaged for years to come.
Make sure to tag us in your pictures and posts this weekend using @LooseHeadz so we can see what you’ve been getting up to.
