Blue Monday

Several media outlets have been reporting this story this morning. One of the original articles about this was written by Jon Harry for Wales on Sunday:

Psychologist Dr Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University has christened January 22 'Blue Monday', when post-Christmas fatigue kicks in, resolutions fall by the wayside and spring seems ages away.

What's more, the academic says the feeling will last all week as the lethal combination of miserable weather and astronomical credit card bills affects even the super-happy among us.

Dr Arnall has even come up with a formula - 1/8W+(D-d)3/8xTQMxNA.

It factors in the dreariness of the (W)eather, the arrival of Christmas bills or (D)ebt, minus monthly salary (d), (T)ime elapsed since Christmas and the failure to keep a New Year's resolution or to (Q)uit a bad habit, low (M)otivational levels and the need to take action (NA).

"We're not talking about clinical depression here, we're talking about the winter blues," he says.

"The truth is, a lot of people feel down at this time and a lot of people have depression as well, particularly men, and they don't want to talk about it.

"If this helps one person just to say how they feel and make some changes, then my job as a psychologist is done. You can use it as a springboard to make changes. It can encourage people."

Experts say don't despair - you can dig your way out of the dumps.

Elly Yule, therapist at www.GrassdancerEssences.com, says: "Utilise the New Year as a time for looking forward to all the fun and adventures that lie ahead.

"Now is the time to plan your year - where would you like to go? What would you like to do? Who do you want to meet? What do you want to learn or experience? Enjoy planning 2007."

Behaviour therapist Daniela Osu adds: "There's nothing worse than wanting to reach the unreachable: face up to reality, Brad Pitt or Kate Moss may never ask you out for dinner! But you can still be happy and have a fulfilling life.

"Finding the pleasure in small things is a skill that may help - having a coffee with a friend, going for a walk, making a call to a distant friend, having a treat.

"Anything that doesn't require a lot of money or effort can be enjoyed and should be savoured to the full."

I find this information very interesting. Just a few days ago I had a somewhat lengthy conversation with my mother about having the winter blues. Despite the fact the we here in the South have had a fairly mild winter so far it's still cold and dreary. Trees appear lifeless. The lawn is dormant. The sound of songbirds have been replaced by those obnoxious sounds that crows make. What we all need is a vacation!

Fortunately for her she'll be leaving for the west coast of Mexico tomorrow morning for a week's stay with one of her best friends. I get to feed her man-eating parrot and then return home to stare at blank canvases without any clue as to what to paint on them. Otherwise I get to stare at a house that needs cleaning or a yard that needs a gardener. Oh wait, that would be me. Did I mention it was cold outside?

So I'm now trying to find pleasure in the small things. It's now less than 7 weeks until daylight savings time begins. I sold a few prints over the weekend. That Diet Coke I just finished was quite tasty.

Ah, who am I kidding. I just looked around at my office and it looks just like one of our closets; stuffed to past it's limits with mostly junk that needs to be thrown out. What it needs is a good Spring cleaning. Did I mention it's more than seven weeks until Spring?

I'll talk with you folks later. I'm headed back to bed. Sweet dreams!