A 10 Minute Hack To Boost Your Wellbeing

Let's Face It - January Sucks

It's January, which for many is a time of feeling a distinct sense of "bleugh" and fatigue. Heck, in the U.K., January 17th is known as "Blue Monday," which is said to be the saddest day of the year. Whether or not you believe it to be true, I can at least say that I'd be utterly unsurprised if January was indeed the saddest month of the year.

It'll be different for everyone, but it's a fair assumption to make that after a time of such elation during the festive period, returning to the normal humdrum in the new year is quite a reality shock. Coupled with the fact that we all carry expectation and hope for what the year to come will bring, there is an added sense of pressure to exceed the year bygone. And well, another fact that most people's wallets are considerably lighter in the new year.

I know for myself, I was fortunate enough to go back to a job I really wholeheartedly enjoy, as well as exceeding my fundraising target, relaunching my podcast with my best friend, starting up my own Etsy business, and getting my fitness back on track. Yet, with January soon coming to a close, I have come to realise a distinct sense of "blueness" and tiredness and much of my buzzing new year's energy has begun to wane, as has my mood.

Mood = Perception = Reality

It's fascinating what an impact our mood can have on our perceptions of the world. When in a jovial, upbeat mood, someone turning up 10 minutes late to a Zoom meeting is a non-thought. Yet, when in a bad or insecure mood, the same action may lead to feelings of irritation and disrespect. Research confirms this, finding that moods quite literally affect what we see in our physical environment (Zadra & Clore, 2011).

In a similar vein, our physical environment can also very much impact our mood. You're no stranger to "SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)," I'm sure. Yet the impact that shorter daylight hours, increased precipitation, colder weather and decreased sunlight exposure can have on our mood is truly uncanny.

However, I'm not one for staying too down in the dumps if I can help it, and if you're reading this, I'm guessing you're not either. So, without further ado, let's get you back to feeling happier.

10 Minutes to Feeling Happier

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a licensed therapist. I am not here to provide evidence-backed treatment options if you are indeed experiencing something more severe than just a blue day. Yet, this 10 minute hack has provided so powerful and useful in combatting the hopelessness that a blustery grey day can bring, so I thought it would be valuable to share with you all.

It's free, requires minimal effort and there's no "right" way to do it. I know, it sounds like I'm trying to sell you a subscription to a meditation app (disclaimer: I'm NOT).

So... What Is It?

Drumroll please.....

Write or speak to yourself as future you.

Yep, I know, I sound straight out of a Harry Potter Divination class, but it's something I've always found to work.

Where I have been plagued with anxieties, of which there are many, writing to myself from the perspective of future me has always placed me in a better frame of mind making those pesky grey clouds a little less overbearing.

Normally, I do this by physically writing on pen and paper. So, I'd encourage you do to the same because it produces something tangible for you to hold onto. Even if you don't consider yourself a natural-born writer or communicator - who cares. Nobody will read this but you. The main point here is to connect with yourself and do this with conviction. The adult side of you might wrestle with the logistical realities, but writing to yourself is by nature a private, safe space where you can write whatever.

In the words of Eames (from my favourite film Inception):

"Don't be afraid to dream a little bigger darling."

But enough of me explaining the concept. I'll give you an example:

"Hey,

I know you're feeling pretty stuck right now; for some reason you're tired and you're unsure if what you dream of will come true. You're kind of bummed that your side hustles aren't going the way that you want, you're feeling pretty guilty about skipping the gym - you're worried that you're lazy and that you can't bring your goals into being.

Well, four months on, I can tell you that your effort put into all of these projects has been really worth it. Trust me. Your Etsy business is getting more and more consistent, and there's a small part of you that misses the time when things were slow because the orders are now constant (but trust me, on the whole that's a good thing). Your podcast also made little leaps and you're being really consistent and the quality of your content is just increasing. I'm so glad that you never gave up.

I feel pretty over the moon about how things are going, I gotta tell you. You're healthy as well - you're not all or nothing and the small, consistent behaviours you've been making all this year are really paying off. I'm very proud of you."

You could call it visualising, or imagination, but I call it: bridging the gap of time.

Whilst it's not an evidence-based therapeutic technique per-se, brain imaging studies have already shown us that merely a thought can produce the same neurobiological reactions as though it's happening right now. I'm sure we can all think of instances where we imagine or recall an argument with a loved one, only for our heart to beat faster and our blood to boil hotly. Aside from the obvious negative implications this brings, we should have a lightbulb moment. Because where we can create a negative feeling by simply using our own brain and imagination, the exact opposite must also be true... we can create a positive feeling by simply using our own brain and imagination!

That is powerful, because it's entirely organic. It's not someone who is in the position you want to be in telling you that everything is going to be okay. It is a direct message from yourself letting you know that the things you wish to achieve are indeed possible.

Perhaps it even brings into focus a nifty psychological phenomenon called "selective attention bias," whereby we are more likely to spot in our environment that which our brain has a predilection to focus on.

By connecting with our future self, it further connects us with all aspects of ourselves. It shows us that the future is real. Although that's quite an obvious point, the inability for us humans to accurately perceive the future as a real thing hurtling towards us can lead us to make less favourable decisions in the moment. Therefore, by bringing our future selves into focus, and our future self which has achieved that which we are yearning for, we can begin to perceive this alternative time-frame as more of a potential reality which we could have.

Even if just a remedy in the moment, I know that doing this simple activity has genuinely lifted my spirits. It's given me agency to do those things I've been putting off, to make better decisions for myself and ones which are thoughtfully related to my goals. Think of it as hustle-culture mindset's much softer, much more humanistic counterpart.

I know that precisely what I write to myself as future me may not actually come to pass, but it's quite startling when I look back at previous writings to myself and see just how much of it came true. Perhaps due to the selective attention bias point, or maybe there really is magic in the world.

Closing Thoughts

This may not be for everyone. I know some people will say, "but it's just deluding yourself."

To that, I would respond with one of my favourite quotes from Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows:

"Of course this is all happening inside your head. But that doesn't mean it isn't real." - Albus Dumbledore, J.K. Rowling

As fanciful as it may sound, the research on this is clear. That which we perceive is that which we see. Of course, this does not detract from the many dire circumstances that a lot of the world's population live in. I note that I write this from a position of high privilege, but where there is darkness, may hope be the light.

I hope that you found this helpful. If you did, please do consider subscribing to my Vocal page or leaving me a tip.

Share it on social media, with your friends and family, or keep it for yourself as something to refer back to you.

May your future self and present self have a wonderful exchange.