There is some debate about the exact date (last Monday or this Monday) but many people believe that today is Blue Monday — otherwise known as the most depressing day of the year.
Articles abound online contesting this day’s descriptor. Apparently there is actually a proposed scientific equation “proving” that this day is the most melancholy of all, but I’m not sure I buy any of that. The point is that the different factors that make up this theory do exist and they can be depressing. They are:
- Cold weather and the kidnapping of the sun
- Holiday weight has not magically disappeared
- Holiday debt has not magically disappeared
- New Year’s resolutions are on a break, if not completely broken
I don’t think you can make a mathematical formula out of all this, but if those four things applied to you, then I can see how it could be a crappy day. It is a Monday after all, the day isn’t typically so awesome to begin with.
So if you’re feeling a little down (or if you weren’t before, but now you are because I brought all these converging factors to light), I thought I would share what I plan to do after work on this Monday night (besides watch The Bachelor of course) that always lifts me from a depressed mood: read.
I hate cold weather and I’m ready for it to go away, but it does make for great reading time. I am having one of those “I can’t wait to get home so I can read” experiences right now with my current book, The Passage. It’s not my typical genre, but I’m hooked.
It’s also my first book on my new Kindle. I always thought I was a “serious reader” which meant I would miss things like turning pages, having the book on a shelf and so on. I realize now I said all those things just to sound intellectual because I absolutely do not. My friend likes her e-reader so she can hold her baby and read. I like it so I can hold my wine glass and read.
Clearly sitting stationary and drinking wine is not going to do wonders for shedding holiday pounds. Nor is buying books to feed your reading habit going to alleviate your holiday debt. And unless your New Year’s resolution was to “read more”, it probably doesn’t much affect that area either. You also might hate reading, which is totally cool.
I guess what I am really trying to say is — there’s no use feeling depressed about all this. Each year, we get through these challenges. Soon enough we will be complaining about the heat; weight and credit cards eventually settle; and we all still have a lot of time to accomplish in 2011 whatever it is we want to accomplish. So if you only went to the gym through January 6, no one is judging you!
Hope everyone has a fantastic Blue Monday and the week only gets better!
What helps lift your mood? And selfishly, any good book recommendations?
Balance Overload 