According to the statisticians and data-collectors, the 15th of January is officially the most depressing day of the year. Whether you believe the fan-fair or see Blue Monday for what it is – essentially an over-hyped PR stunt – there is certainly something to be said for the post-Christmas, post-New Year malaise that descends at the beginning of every January.
The negative sentiment may be attributable to the strain of new (and possibly already broken) resolutions, the bleak mid-winter weather or simple the realisation that another year has gone by. Whatever the causes, it remains undeniable that January is an unpopular month for many and a common time to make visits to sunnier climes.
For those of us left behind, here are several things to keep our spirits high.
- Flowers. A slightly predictable first point but valid nonetheless. In days gone by, it was extremely difficult to source fresh flowers out of season, leaving much of the UK waiting with baited breath for the beginning of our flowering season and the emergence of native species. Today, of course, we have beautiful flowers from across the globe available all year round.
- The days are getting longer. It may still feel like we live in enteral night, but the equinox has passed and we are on the way towards brighter mornings and evenings.
- There is still plenty of time to make life-changing decisions. Resolutions may seem cliché but it is always worth accessing aspects of your life-style during the New Year period. Though it is an arbitrary delineation of time, take the opportunity to make a change for the better this January.
- Though the cold weather has closed in, we can all take pleasure in a more sedentary lifestyle; enjoying what the Danish call hygge, the warm satisfaction that is difficult to describe but is associated with the simple pleasure of relaxing in a cosy environment.
Whatever you do with your Blue Monday it at least worth remembering this: we’ve got 51 improved Mondy’s from here.