Today is OFFICIALLY the most depressing day of the year, and not just for Democrats.
Today is known as “Blue Monday,” which is typically the THIRD Monday of January. That means it’s always linked with Martin Luther King Jr. Day . . . but that’s just a coincidence.
Blue Monday has been a thing ever since a British psychologist named Dr. Cliff Arnall came up with it 20 years ago. It’s based on a weird formula that’s supposed to calculate how sad or depressing any given day might be.
The third Monday in January is the perfect storm of peak terribleness . . .
1. Bad weather, and short days. (Well, it’s definitely FRIGID this year.)
2. Enough time has passed since Christmas that you’ve lost the good feelings, and now all you have left is the let-down, and debt.
3. Your New Year’s resolutions have failed.
4. Your motivation has hit rock bottom.
5. And you’re realizing you’re now facing down another entire year of work ahead of you, without summer or any vacations in sight.
(Anyway, have a great day!)
The silver lining is: This is obviously NOT very scientific.
If you look at actual mental health stats, there’s no proof today is any more depressing than an average day in January. But some of us do tend to have less pep in our step this time of year.
After it became a “depressing” holiday, Dr. Arnall said “[It was] never [my] intention to make the day sound negative, but to inspire people to take action and make bold life decisions, for the year ahead.”
If you DO put any stock in it, Dr. Arnall claims the happiest day of the year is usually in mid-to-late June.
(Forbes / The Sun / Wikipedia)
