How to better apprehend Blue Monday?

But let's not forget that we are what we think! If we believe that this day is supposed to be a bad day, then chances are, it really is. This is the principle of self-fulfilling prophecy. In psychology, this is also called "confirmation bias". Your brain only notices the events of your day that are already expected. 

Knowing this, here are some tips to make this day perhaps the best day of the year, who knows ;) 

1. Start by clearing your head 

Knowing that our brain checks the fact that "I only see what I believe", the ideal is to avoid projecting negative beliefs about what awaits you in the day. This is sometimes difficult to do, another solution is to try to refocus on the present, thinking as little as possible about the future. You can do this through techniques such as meditation or self-hypnosis, which allow you to tame your mind and take control of it. This will allow you not to get stuck on all the scenarii that could negatively impact your day when they are only "movies", "fictions" and as such they may never happen. Montaigne, a French philosopher, said on this subject: "He who fears to suffer, suffers from what he fears." 

2. Plunge your mind into "Flow". 

Flow is a mental state of our brain that has the particularity of giving a lot of pleasure and joy in a single task, and that monopolises our entire attention. Flow can be achieved, for example, when you draw a picture without paying attention to everything around you, without worrying about the past or the future. It can also happen when you are colouring a mandala and you enjoy it so much that you feel that nothing exists around you anymore. This state can also be reached for example when you are doing sport and you are 100% into what you are doing, without any particular objective, without trying to surpass yourself. Flow is when you are totally absorbed in an activity that gives you pleasure.  

In flow, emotions are not only contained and channelled, but coordinated with the present task. The main feature of flow is a spontaneous feeling of joy, even ecstasy during an activity. From a cerebral and neurological point of view, it has been found that flow tends to bring the brain into a state of functional harmonisation, where it is often overheated because our thoughts are scattered and we try to do several things at the same time. 

3. Enjoying the benefits of music 

We now know scientifically that music can calm our anxieties, stimulate our memory, positively modify our state of mind, or even encourage a state of concentration. The neurologist Pierre Lemarquis even explains that "music sculpts and caresses our brain". The simple fact of listening to music causes the brain to release hormones that promote pleasure and well-being: dopamine (the pleasure hormone), serotonin (known for its anti-depressant properties), and oxytocin (the love hormone). In neuroscience, scientists call this trio the "reward circuit". If you can, don't hesitate to take one or more musical breaks during the day, treat yourself by listening to what you like; according to Professor Lejoyeux, a psychiatrist, there is no better choice to treat yourself than Mozart's Sonata Kochel 448. Since it's Blue Monday, I recommend the song "Blue Monday" by New Order. It's a bit dated but it's ageless! And personally, it often gives me a boost :)