Join the conversation & let us know your thoughts.
Today is often called Blue Monday, a day many of us feel the weight of winter (in the Northern Hemisphere), low energy, and seasonal blues more than usual. So, I wanted to share a Mudita Blog that explores what Blue Monday really means, why these feelings come up, and some gentle ways to support yourself through them.
Would love to hear how you take care of yourself during tough winter days.
I had so many blue days this year (What a year, huh?) that today I didn’t notice anything. I am just chasing my errands, no time to think of should I be sad today. ;d
1 Like
January is terrible for me this year, just like last year, even though I have my mindfulness routines. Last year, I had a lot of trouble with loud, inconsiderate neighbors in January, I caught a nasty flu virus, and my wife and I couldn’t go away for our anniversary, which is in January. Then our house was broken into and the basement rooms were robbed, and my wife’s bike was vandalized.
This January, I got pneumonia and have been trying to get fit again for three weeks. And I find it difficult to relax and accept the peace and quiet because I feel bad about not being able to work. Which is stupid, because after all the stress at work, I should actually see it as a welcome break. I don’t know… January is kind of weird. And I don’t understand why my otherwise bombproof immune system always fails in January.
1 Like
I used to HATE January. After the whirlwind & celebrations of the Holidays during the last two weeks of DEC- with parties, dinners, gifts & then even more parties, JANUARY used to DRAG for me. The holidays, mirth & celebrations were over, it’s just cold outside. It seemed to me that all my friends wanted to do was shop the post-holiday sales (really NOT my thing). I used to be such a hermit in the month of January: isolated, antisocial etc, which really did take a toll on my mental health. So, I totally get the whole Blue Monday feeling.
However, at some point several years ago, I decided that I’ve had enough. January is what you make it. So, I decided to associate January with something completely different than the post-holiday slump. I had to completely reframe it & use January as a jumping off point to Spring 
I started doing the whole January Decluttering Challenge, which I mentioned in a discussion with @kirkmahoneyphd in another post on the FORUM.
I talked about it in more detail a few years ago here:
This reframing allowed me to view January in a completely different light. Not as daaaaays that drrrrrrrraaaaaaaagggggg before you in 100 shades of grey & drab, but more like a fun little challenge that made me feel good.
A few years ago, I wrote this blog to kind of reflect on how winter, instead of being this blah time, could be used for a more meaningful purpose.
3 Likes