Blog post written by Lynn Crilly, author of the Hope with Mental Health series. 

The third Monday of every January has been named ‘Blue Monday’; the theory behind this is that this time of year is when it is cold, we find ourselves stuck with credit card bills and less money, our New Year’s resolutions (if we have made them) have often already failed or are not going to plan which creates an element of guilt and we are just not feeling our best. This year, in the UK we have the added anxiety of being in a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I would like to help you to feel more positive and hopeful this January and to feel more optimistic about what the now has to offer and what the future holds. Below are some – I hope – helpful ways to change how you think and to turn some of the ‘blue’ negative thinking into positive.

At the moment we are all looking at updates on the news about the COVID-19 pandemic, which are often quite depressing and rarely the good news we are hoping for. Instead, try to look for the good news that is going on in the world. Whilst writing this blog I came across a website that focuses on good news only: Good News Network. Take some time to learn all the positives that are happening around us. Dwelling on the negative will keep you stuck in a dark place.

We all have a way of thinking we can predict the future; even though we have no idea what will happen tomorrow, we still like to predict the doom and gloom scenarios we think are going to happen. When we imagine negative scenarios, whether it is about the current pandemic or a work meeting, this negative ‘guessing game’ can turn into a self-fulfilling prediction if we are not careful. Focus on the now. If you want to look to the future, look at the positive scenarios that could happen rather than the negative.

This last tip might be the hardest to achieve but, once you nail it, it is the key to a more positive outlook, replacing negative with more realistic and motivating thoughts. This can inspire you to create the kind of life you want to live. For example, instead of thinking to yourself, ‘at this rate I will never be able to afford my own place’, this negative thought could be replaced with, ‘I am unsure of what the future holds, but if I make a clear savings plan, it is possible I may be able to afford my own place.’

I do hope these simple but effective changes can help to create a more optimistic mindset, for you or someone you know who may be struggling with Anxiety or Depression. You can learn more about these mental illnesses and ways to cope in my books Hope with Anxiety and Hope with Depression.