January blues are a real and present danger this year

Blue Monday was apparently the most depressing day of the whole year.

Post-Christmas come down and debt coupled with the reality of trudging through a good couple of months with not much to look forward to, meant most of the nation were not on top form.

But surely if we’re made to think it’s set to be a rather gloomy day, we’ll not be expecting anything else. I lost count of the number of times I heard someone mention they were feeling down and I even found myself giving into the Monday blues. Perfect time to book a holiday in the sun – right?

It came as no surprise to me, to find out the idea of Blue Monday was created by a holiday company in 2005, and it seems to have caught on. What an excellent marketing ploy – spreading doom and gloom. Me...cynical?

Booking a holiday isn’t the only way to beat the blues, although probably the most favourable to most. I mean who doesn’t love the idea of jetting off somewhere warm and sunny, but if that’s not within the budget for cash-strapped January Blues sufferers, there are a few things that can keep even the most fed-up feeling positive.

Going for a long walk is always the best way for me to clear my head and look to the future. Don’t you remember being told that fresh air can fix almost any ailment as a child? It’s an ethos that seems to have stayed with me. If it just so happens to be between the hours of natural daylight – a tough ask in Scotland I know – this can also boost your mood.

Just remember, misery might love company, but a smile is contagious.