How does it feel
To lead you like they do?
When they’ve aimed their stories at you
And told you who you are

Well I think they are mistaken
There’s need to heed their words
So tell me who do you feel
Tell me now, how do you feel?

 

With apologies to New Order, to whom I will always be grateful for “World In Motion”.

A glance at the papers and online today tells us that we should all be down in the dumps today because it is “Blue Monday”.

Well, that’s it then.

It’s official. The media TOLD me to feel rubbish so I will.

Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!

Well, did you know that the concept of Blue Monday was forged in the dark smithies of some PR agency alongside a clever chap called Dr Cliff Arnall almost 2 decades ago?

Yep.

It was devised to help their holiday client leverage the winter blues.

You know something, I will probably leverage it today myself for one or two clients either as blog fodder or when responding to a media request for expert comment.

Quite what being TOLD to be gloomy is doing to our mental health is anyone’s guess.

So I was delighted to see The Samaritans’ counter-campaign called “Brew Monday” launch last week.

Brew Monday, rightly labels Blue Monday a “myth” and encourages people to “make time for a cuppa and a catch-up.”

“At Samaritans we know there’s no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’ – we all have our good days and our bad days, and those aren’t for the calendar to decide.

“So we say it’s time to stop this myth about Monday being ‘blue’ and instead start a conversation over a brew! Reach out and connect with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.”

Brilliant!

I’ll drink to that, any day of the week!