Seven tips to get you through the Ember months

It’s the Ember months and we’re fast hurtling towards the end of another year. It is that time of the year where the fittest survive, and the not so fit fall victim to Monday morning blues, post-weekend sickies and end of year slump.

It is often this time of the year, and beware you’re in it for the long haul as we have not been through the post-Christmas blues to the most depressing day of the season 23/24 January yet – it gets increasingly harder to get out of the cocoon we’ve built under the dozens of duvets in our bed and face the madness called life. But face we must, so here are a few tips to remind yourself that no matter how tough your Monday, how short your weekend, how stressful your job, there are still a few good reasons to keep your spirits up.

You have still got a pulse – A good start. Whether it is weak or pacing around an unhealthy 180 beats per minute, the good news is, it is here which means you’re alive and able to do the things you have the desire to (or get paid to) do. So each time you feel down, feel your pulse: If it is there, it is not over for you yet.

 You have a dream – Whether your dream is to make it to the end of the day only to fall back into the cocoon you’ve built in your bed or to build yourself your one-(wo)man empire, as long as you have got a dream, it could only mean you still have the will to go on to make it come true. Next time you feel the darkness gets the better of you, remind yourself of your dreams, get up and go chasing them. ‘Cause really, if you won’t, who will?

You have a job – Well done! Clap for yourself! In a world where a growing percentage of the population are finding themselves out of a job overnight, you’ve at least got one good reason to get up in the morning for – Monday blues or not!

You have got bills – May not sound like something to cheer about, but if you’ve got bills, it means, you are likely to have a house that requires utilities that require bills, and simple bare necessities. If you insist on lying in bed catatonic wishing the Harmattan away or, the chances are, come new year, you will be without those bare necessities, utilities and a roof on your head. So chop chop, go pay’em, tiger!

You have unfinished business – Whether it is the book that you know you will be writing some day, or the idiot at work you need to settle scores with or the 2016 resolutions you haven’t quite managed to keep, we all have unfinished business. So when you are struggling to get through another day, remember your unfinished business. If you can’t even muster the courage to step out of bed, who will muster the courage to finish unfinished business?

You have a cat/dog/hamster – Oh good… So really, you have a furry alarm clock sure to wake you up even on the toughest Mondays. If you haven’t got a pet, make sure you invest in a cat, as eventually, when it is too tired of hanging around for you to finally get up and feed it and way too starved to take any pity, the chances are it will start on your toes as an appetiser moving upwards from there. Surely, this is enough reason to wake up RIGHT NOW, no?

You’ve got 17 muscles – Remember the old adage: “You’ve got 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.” Why put in extra effort to use 43 muscles when you can use 17?