The Monday Blues: What to do, what to do.
I was today years old when I learned that Blue Monday is: 1) actually a thing, 2) the name for the most depressing day of the year, and 3) coming up in two weeks on January the 18th.
Never have I felt more understood, than knowing that there’s people out there that used pseudoscience to determine the saddest day of the year, slap a name on it, and revel in it’s mugginess.
Honestly, it brought a smile to my face.
For many of us, today is the first day back to work after a holiday break. Maybe some of you are like my husband, who woke up at 5 am and didn’t skip a beat. Maybe some of you are like me, who are struggling hard churning through what feels like the slowest day of your life — This one’s for you.
On days like today, where the Monday Blues are winning, you might seek out articles that hype you up to win. This year, this Monday in particular, consider not trying to win; Consider letting yourself lose.
We left a hard ass year behind. We lost loved ones, we lost ways to stay healthy, put food on the table, and even a bit of our sanity. Perhaps, just this once, there really isn’t a better way to spend your time than googling the randomness of life? Give yourself permission to feel, to revel, so that when you get back up, you’re ready.
I spent my lunch time reading useless information about Blue Monday:
- Blue Monday’s “science” uses northern hemisphere’s weather patterns, so it only applies to literally half of Earth. It also uses so many subjective variables, that for anyone wondering, it’s baloney.
- If you live in the United States like me, then you celebrate Martin Luther King day on the third Monday of January and not Blue Monday. (Rightfully so, if I may add.)
- Turns out, there’s no reveling in sadness. Cliff Arnall, the person responsible, “never intended to make the day sound negative”, but rather “to inspire people to take action and make bold life decisions”.
Well, buddy pal: My bold life decision is that I’m going to sit on the couch and eat banana icecream, despite being sensitive to lactose.
Originally, when I started writing this, it was a way for me to process ideas on how to “beat” Monday. As I got into it, the more I realized that I didn’t want to, and perhaps there are others who didn’t want to either but feel the pressure to. We are so damn caught up with what we should be doing and what others expect from us, that we forget to listen to ourselves.
Granted, yes, Monday Blues are a state of mind. They’re blue because we allow them to be, but why is that a bad thing? Why is being open and honest about this with coworkers, bosses, friends, etc not normal?
Consider this a light-hearted reminder to get out of your head, smell some fresh air (SAFELY!!!) to re-engergize, and have a good day kicking butt at all the amazing things that you do.
For me? It’ll be eating this icecream.
