We believe in colours as reminders of the vibrancy of life: browse through our products to see how important all colours, especially blue, are integral to our stories.
‘Ao’ represents serenity, vast oceans and stability
What is the ‘Holiday Blues’, and how does it affect us?
The holiday season brings the pressure of being jovial and merry with your loved ones and who you surround yourself with: stress, anxiety and (seasonal) depression alongside chronic conditions snowball during this time.
‘Over 2 in 5 Brits report feelings of stress, and about 1 in 4 reported struggling with anxiety or depression during the Christmas season.’
– insight on celebrations during covid 19 report 2021
Now-empty spaces at the dinner table, longer nights, not enough daytime and the anxiety of leaving the house in fear of the virus. The holiday season can be a debilitating time with an unnerving pressure to be around ‘family’ when you are struggling to find a reason to celebrate. So, when life is not a cookie-cutter version of what we would like it to be, things can get tough and you are not alone feeling this way.
Here are some ways you can self-soothe:
- 👤Acknowledge your feelings – take time to understand your anxiety, stress or depression, let yourself make way to the reason as to why you might be feeling this way and allow yourself to accept it.
- 🧠Regain control – Try your best to regulate your high levels of emotions by stepping to the side and taking things slow to take back control: take time for your needs, a walk, quiet time alone or a nap, any form of action which is kind to your mind and body.
- 📍Be realistic about your expectations – It’s easy to be disappointed during these times when we have been taught to put the bar very high, but the simple things in life are just as enjoyable.
- 🤝Reach out – Whether it’s family, friends, or a neighbour; reach out, talk to someone and let them know how you’re holding up. If you find yourself not being able to, ‘The Mind’ is a mental health organization that have helplines open, click over there if you need someone’s help.
▶️ Watch The Mind’s video 👉 “Not a normal Christmas..” for a preview of issues that the organisation brings awareness to.
4649.REC ethos 💙
As born from the efforts to cope with mental health during a global lockdown, the brand became what it stands for through the strength gained from REConnecting with family through the kimono and cultural roots. We champion mental health awareness by giving a percentage of our proceeds to the aforementioned mental health charity, ‘The Mind’.
We believe sustainability is a philosophy larger than what it is defined by today, it is about sustainable practices across one’s life. It’s about sustaining healthy forms of wellbeing: what we call ‘Ki’ in Japan – protecting and regenerating our inner ecosystem and energy. To provide you with longevity and strength for a tomorrow, to live through another day, every day. Our efforts in REConnecting to what makes us whole is something we practice all the time, through our upcycling, customisations and RECycling – we take the time to REConstruct what our tomorrow can look like.
“It’s Okay Not to be okay”:
It will eventually pass, and perhaps through some of the methods above maybe you will have taken another step towards understanding your ‘Holiday Blues’, preparing you for the next year.
It’s worth remembering that blue in Japan, ‘aoi’, represents a transient colour that carries the vastness, vitality and peace of oceans, skies and broader horizons, so the next time you catch a case of ‘the blues’, ride the wave over to the other side where one can stand on their own two feet with a sense of clarity.
