As the darkest day on the calendar looms, Blue Monday often drapes itself with clichés of fleeting positivity and one-size-fits-all advice. But what if we flipped the script? Instead of seeing mental health as a luxury — something we only tend to when time and resources allow — let’s embrace it as the bread and butter of our existence, the fuel that drives how we think, feel, and show up in life.
What Does Heaviness Mean?
Have you ever felt like your body was weighed down, a subtle tension you couldn’t place? This sensation, often dismissed, could be your body signaling emotional stress. Performing a body scan is a simple yet profound way to connect with these hidden burdens.
How to Do a Body Scan
- Find a quiet space and sit or lie down comfortably.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Focus on inhaling deeply into your belly and exhaling fully.
- Start at the top of your head, noticing any tension in your forehead, jaw, or shoulders. Is there tightness? Heaviness?
- Move slowly down your body, bringing awareness to your chest, stomach, hips, and legs. Where does the discomfort reside?
- As you identify these sensations, ask yourself: What might this heaviness represent?
Emotional Meanings Behind Physical Heaviness
- Shoulders and Neck: Carrying the weight of responsibility, stress, or fear of failure.
- Chest: Suppressed grief, anxiety, or difficulty breathing through emotional overwhelm.
- Stomach: Unprocessed worries or gut-level intuition being ignored.
- Lower Back and Hips: Fear of moving forward or feeling unsupported.
Blue Monday Is the Perfect Time to Check In The beginning of the year often brings external pressures — resolutions to meet, professional goals to chase, social comparisons to navigate. But prioritizing your wellness is not indulgence. It’s power. It’s strength. It’s the foundation upon which your best self is built.
Stepping Into the Rest of the Year
- Commit to daily check-ins: A simple, mindful moment to tune into your body and breath.
- Put yourself first: Your wellness isn’t a luxury for “when you have time.” Make it non-negotiable.
- Find your tribe: Surround yourself with supportive spaces and communities that remind you of your worth.
Your mental health is as vital as food on the table or water in your glass — it’s life-sustaining. This Blue Monday, don’t just survive the day. Use it as a springboard for the rest of the year. Put your wellness at the top of your list, embrace your strength, and reclaim the power that comes with making yourself a priority.
You are your greatest investment.
Studio Nine 