Today is Blue Monday. The most depressing day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. According to pretend, made up, pseudoscience. In other words ... the Internet.
The absolute HILARITY of declaring THIS as the most depressing day of what has already been an almost hysterically depressing succession of never-ending depressing days in itself is enough to put me in a good mood.
But to reiterate - today is Blue Monday, said to be the most depressing day of the year.
And here is how it started.
How Blue Monday Began.
In 2005, the television station Sky Travel sent out a press release that was a little loosey goosey in the fact checking department. According to a bit of pseudoscience they came upon, they wrote up and sent out a press release declaring the third Monday in January as the most depressing day of the year.
As a travel channel that also sold holidays, they were looking to make people so acutely aware of their depression that they'd clamour to book a weekend jaunt somewhere.
Sky Travel went out of business 5 years later, on what the same pseudoscience named "The happiest day of the year.", June 24th.
The whole Blue Monday thing was based on some report done by some guy. Actually Cliff Arnall is his name. He is the one who developed a formula for predicting the most dismal of all days.
The equation he developed for determining the most depressing day of the year included information on weather conditions, debt level, time since Christmas, time since failing your New Year’s resolutions, and low motivation levels.
He kind of thought of his research as an upbeat piece of literature. Motivational even!
NO ONE ELSE THOUGHT THAT.
The idea of "Blue Monday" was instantly shared relentlessly on the Internet with people flapping their arms warning about the impending doom of the day to come.
Cliff Arnall actually went so far as to apologize for his research saying he didn't want anyone to focus on being sad or depressed in January. Everyone should be happy! See it as a chance to try new things. Wear funny hats or something.
He's since taken part in a January campaign called "Screw it, Let's Do It." with Virgin Airlines encouraging people to yup ... take whirlwind vacations.
I'll let that just sit with you for a moment.
Even though I don't believe this is in fact the most depressing day of the year, or that such a thing exists, (unless you count those days you get all the way to the grocery store before remembering you don't have a mask ) I can attest to the fact that January really can be kind of icky. And dull and lacklustre and yes, a little bit depressing.
You don't need a vacation to boost your Blue Monday mood though. I've done some research and come up with 10 things you can do TODAY, maybe even right now, to fool yourself into thinking today is as happy a day as ... June 24th.
How to Boost Your Mood on Blue Monday
- DECLUTTER
Getting rid of junk and especially making your office or bedroom more organized is scientifically proven to put you in a good mood. Real science. Not Internet science.
2. COMPLIMENT SOMEONE
This is one of those weird things where you're doing something for someone else but it makes you feel good. Like when you give a really good present. Only this doesn't cost any money and make the person feel better about their day too.
Go out into the world and compliment a random stranger. If you think their hair is nice tell them, if you think it was admirable they picked garbage up off the street and put it in the trash tell them, if you think they have the loveliest accent you've ever heard, say it out loud. Easy, right??
3. PAY FOR SOMEONE'S COFFEE
This is along the same lines as complimenting someone but it involves coffee. And no compliment. If you're in the drive through or in line for a coffee today pay for a coffee for someone. The person in front of you, behind you, it doesn't matter. Just maybe try not to get the guy placing an order for his entire office building 'cause a $3.50 favour will enhance your mood, a $35 one might not.
4. BUY YOURSELF FLOWERS OR A PLANT
Researchers at Rutgers University found that:
"simply being in the presence of flowers was found to elevate mood significantly, measurably increase feelings of life satisfaction, and promote positive social behavior."
In fact flowers are so effective at making some people feel happy that they're a viable treatment for mild depression, anxiety and stress.
5. GET OUTSIDE IN THE (HOPEFULLY, EVEN JUST A TINY SLIVER OF IT) SUN.
I don't think I have to explain this one to you. The sun is good for you. It makes you feel betterrrrrrrr. Now if you're in the Northern Hemisphere you probably won't be relaxing in a chair watering your vegetable garden but you can get outside to take a walk around your garden. Or even just walk around the block. The point is get outside and if the sun is out even better.
In the fall and winter you can get your Vitamin D from supplements. The recommended dosage is to take 1,000 IU a day during the fall and winter to supplement the loss of sunlight.
6. EXERCISE
There are two ways that exercise makes you feel great. Three if you think you look good in your exercise outfit! Firstly, exercise increases endorphins, those little hormones that give you a high in the same vein as morphine. Secondly, exercise gives you a feeling of ass kicking accomplishment.
7. EAT MOOD BOOSTING FOODS
Like you need an excuse to eat cheese. Ha! -Tryptophan which you probably know as the ingredient in turkey that makes you tired is really making you relaxed. It's also found in proteins like fish, chicken, cottage cheese, nuts, cheeeeeeese, eggs, and beans.
Walnuts, kiwi, bananas, sour cherries, pineapple, tomatoes, and plums are all naturally high in serotonin which is a hormone (or neurotransmitter - the jury is still out on WHAT it is exactly) that makes you feel good.
So plan on a lunch or dinner that includes these ingredients!
8. MEDITATE OR BOOK A YOGA CLASS (virtual of course)
Meditate your blues away. It's true. It helps. Don't know how to meditate or think it's for hippie weirdos? Try taking a yoga class today. Yoga will help your mood too.
9. GET A MASSAGE
The benefits of massage are twofold. Human touch like massage and hugs naturally make you feel good. But even just massaging your own shoulders and neck can make you happy.
10. SMILE
Even a fake smile, like my ode to Brooke Shields in grade 6, can fool your brain into thinking you're actually happy. So even if you don't feel happy a fake flash of teeth can make it true.
Now that you've perused this photo I'm going to assume you're genuinely smiling. Or laughing hysterically. Either way you're well on your way to a Happy Monday.
** coming soon! If you liked this, you're going to love my new project. ** coming soon!
Eileen
Any time of year is a good time of year while jockeying a chicken! And if you look like that in jodhpurs.
Mary W
Vitamin D will help with the winter blues - in less than a week. I tried it and it worked without going outside, just in case it is sleeting in your neck of the woods. Compliments are a great idea and make me feel good along with the other person. More human somehow. Finally, I've been on a kick lately of eating very strange things. I had leftovers from Christmas - all those purchases for food that I didn't get around to making. My best creation was half a pecan topped with a bit of cream cheese or really hard aged expensive cheese and a slice of candied ginger. I made a pig of myself eating this for lunch one day and keep going back to do it again. I polished off all the candied ginger and had to go buy more. Now you tell me I was self medicating. Maybe it wasn't the vitamin D but instead the nuts and cheese. I'm going into my bedroom when I click enter and redo my T-shirt drawer - you totally got me started with that cool picture.
Karen
I meant to add Vitamin D to the list!!! I can't believe I forgot it. I was going to put it in the section about the sun. Ack. I'm going to fix that now. Thx! ~ karen
p
I read about meditation recently. It's a way bigger deal that I thought! Apparently, when you do these breathing exercises and clear your mind at the same time, your brain does a trash dump and your DNA is changed!!! I'm still shaking my head! It's all about the telomeres :D
Karen
Yep. Meditation is not just airy fairy hippie dippie. It's scientifically proven to have enormous benefits. ~ karen!
Jen
OHMYGODTHEPICTUREOFYOURIDINGACHICKEN. Thank you.
And you were adorable in grade 6. Coincidentally, when I was in the same grade I cited Brooke Shields in my essay "The Person I Most Admire." My mother was mortified.
Marilyn Meagher
Yes that drawer made me instantly depressed. Wtf. Who has a drawer like that everyday? I’m sure it doesnt look like that everyday...please tell me it doesn’t. And that grade 6 pic. I never realized how much j looks like you! I thought your eyes look a different colour there too! Great list ..I already do lots of those and I’m a pretty happy person. Thanks
Karen
Hey Marilyn! Once you fold your tee shirts and jeans like that (I also do my tea towels that way) it's reallyyyy easy to maintain. It's a tiny bit messier right now (tee shirts not folded with all the wrinkles 100 % pulled out) but honestly it makes the drawers so much more manageable and easy to find things that keeping them that way is nooooo problem. ~ karen!
Jacquie Gariano
I roll my t's and line them up in the drawer. Works great for me. I can see all of them and choose easily. Love the chicken.
ED
Track the sunrises or sunsets - by the position of light coming in your window, by the internet, your clock -- the days are getting longer!!!
Lez
Hate to say, we are struggling in 40 degrees centigrade here in sunny South Africa today!
Sometimes as hard as cold, but give me heat any day!
Agreed, load of rubbish this "Unhappiest day" codswallop!
Karin, I'm confused! Did no one else pick up that your eyes have changed from Amber brown to bright, light blue!?
How did that happen!??
B
Kay
It is 30 degrees in Alabama, USA, but clear (no rain or snow!). I also wondered about the eye color change. I actually did not think that the photo looked like Karen, but maybe one of her sisters.
Karen
LOL, it's just an oldddddd photo so it's yellowed and has poor colour. ~ karen!
Eileen
I just set up an exercise schedule that is working and it's something I'll be able to stay with, even with a 50 mile round trip drive three times a week! The unexpected bonus is that the classes have women all around my age and they are so friendly! So I'm happy in January....plus I've gone a ton of Mari Kondoing around my house. Refreshing. Even with about two days of sunshine this month.
Elissa Rioux
The chicken jockey photo got my day off to a great start! What a riot :-) Thank you Karen! 💕
Deb
Karen, one more to add to the list. Order your seeds! Oh right, I already did that. Guess I can continue my decluttering, that is unless my husband kills me first. I'm the kind of gal whose decluttering ALWAYS looks worse before it looks better. I'm working on two houses, my mom's, who passed away in October and mine so things are in bad shape everywhere. Oh well, smile, by a someone a coffee and shovel snow.
Stephanie
Your drawer is beautiful ...
Kathryn turner
Spring it's nearly Spring! Those of us quite northern also can see massive changes in day length by this Monday a harbinger of the spring to come and all those new bulb shoots in the garden. I give myself early smiles with all those beautiful seedlings appearing each morning in the propagator. Winter what winter..a gardener in happy denial here in Ireland . Keep on riding hen wrangler.
Susan
I often don't remember the day or the date. Who cares. The sun in shining, damn hot and I am alive. What else do you need.
Oh I know chocolate.
K
Get a massage
Buy coffee for a stranger
These are the only two things on the list I didn’t do this weekend. I actually make an effort to do most of these things every day. Living on the west coast the sun one isn’t always possible.
A few years back (5? 7?) I mentioned to a friend that I found January sort of blue & doesn’t everyone?
She said no. Of course not. It was s new year! A new start! & I decided since she felt that way so could I!
No exaggeration: ever since then I have loved January and used it as a new start (lots of decluttering for sure). It was like a switchhad flicked. I mean, even as a teenager I hated January. So this was some long term loathing
Now sometimes January is coming & I think: oh no January. But then I remember: no. January is good now. And viola, it is.
Anyway. I am sharing this because it STILL seems like magic to me that January is a lovely month now. & so hopefully this can spread to others as easily as I caught it!!!
Love & luck & happy Januarys to all who read this!
Carrie
Thanks K!
You have made me a believer. After all, positive thinking is so much better and healthier then negative thinking!
Happy NEW year☺
To Karen......if only I could KEEP my husband's dresser drawers looking like that!! Lol
Positive thinking........Positive thinking........😋
judy
Thank you Thank you.... etc. I was so depressed sitting here with the laptop wondering what else the looney tunes government we have that seems so brilliant at breaking stuff will do next.
I am ancient so have way too much time to watch the unraveling take place-Good grief we Americans are accepting internment camps filled with thousands of little children? Born in 1940-"camps" are more creepy to one of my era than all you young uns. Anyhoo the idea that January is a new start-out with the old in with the new-fingers crossed. Here in Virginia( after the usual dump of the melting Arctic glaciers for endless hours -ta da ) the Sun is shining,the sky is beautifully blue with fat fluffy clouds and I feel positive that we are going to find a path back to sanity.
Bonnie Goodrich-Wilcoxson
Thank you for this ❣️
Jan in Waterdown
Oh lordy, Judy, I was reading your comment and thinking "they're putting children now in INTERNET camps"???? lol
I must be losing my mind or need to change my contacts prescription..... 🙄
Mary
Would you believe I ordered my therapy light for depression a couple hours before Blue Monday began. It won't get here until Wednesday. Good thing I have your ideas.
Karen
They're great things ! ~ karen
Addie
Nothing was working ~until~ I saw the last picture !!! Now I am hysterically laughing.....oops...
I just remembered some of my old pics...now I am not laughing!!!! Oh, well.
Jacquie Gariano
Every once in a while I come across an old school or family pict and wonder what I was thinking....how could I possibly have looked like that. LOL
G Chapman
A lovely childhood photo. I'm laughing hysterically at the chicken jockey! ;-)
Gael
Love these ideas! Forwarding on the link to pals who could use it.
Susan Alexander
11. Read Karen’s column. ☺️💕
Sue
👍 👌 ☝️☝️. Best help, always, for any “dilemma”! Reading cheery, happy things thoughts from bright minds always cheers me. This blog has perked up my day soooo many times January through December...
Karen
Thanks you two! ~ karen
Glenn Wiens
No "K" at the bottom?