Blue Monday: what it is and 10 tips to live happier now 🆙

Also in this 2020 Blue Monday has arrived: today is Monday 20/01, or third Monday of January, a day considered by all as the saddest of the year. But what really is Blue Monday? And what remedies can we take to combat sadness? Let's find out together.

The Origins of Blue Monday

Blue Monday was born in 2005 at the initiative of Cliff Arnall, a psychology professor from Wales. Based on his research, it would seem that all of humanity feels very sad every year on the third Monday in January. Why do you say “Blue Monday” (literally translated as “Blue Monday”)? Because "Blue" in English, in addition to being a noun that identifies a color, is also an adjective with a meaning similar to sadness and melancholy.

Cliff Arnall would have come to determine this day through the mathematical equation (which is not really scientific) that we report below:

This is the Blue Monday formula

Where the variables are:

T - time elapsed since Christmas
W - weather conditions
D - debts payable
d - monthly salary
Q - time elapsed since the failure of the proposed bonds for the new year
M - motivation levels (low)
Na - need to act

This equation, however, has no scientific basis and was created by Cliff Arnall for advertising purposes for the travel agency Sky Travel, which used it in an advertising campaign promoting its travel packages as a remedy for sadness.

Live happier from now on

However, it is not necessary to buy expensive trips around the world to be happy: here we propose it to you 10 simple tips which, if followed, will allow you to increase your happiness.

1. Committed

No matter what life goals you have set for yourself, you must commit. It is through commitment that you will continue to make the necessary changes to improve yourself. Whether it's launching a startup, buying a gym membership, or taking a cooking class, commitment is what drives us all to success.

2. People care about you, not your success.

Let's be honest. People don't care about the price of the clothes you wear, the size of your house, or the car you drive. However, this does not mean that they do not recognize your successes or, worse still, that they despise them. Quite the contrary: they care about you as an individual and will support you in any case, regardless of whether you are successful or not. They do it because they love you!

3. Try to be grateful every day

According to research, being grateful allows you to feel better about your life, be more enthusiastic, and be more willing to help others. Gratitude can even reduce heart problems. In short, being grateful brings comprehensive benefits. Take time each day to write down (or think about) everything you are grateful for in life.

4. Money can't buy happiness.

The Beatles sang "Money Can't Buy Me Love." You know what else there is that money can't buy? Happiness. Winning €100.000 a year doesn't necessarily mean you're happy. Of course, it takes money to live a decent life, but you should focus on your passions and not how high your salary is.

5. Don't take waste personally

At some point in life, we all face rejection. Instead of taking it personally, we should see it as a constructive experience. "Why was your proposal rejected?" It probably wasn't convincing enough, or the recipient wasn't in a position to accept it. Metabolizing waste and learning from it is one of the best ways to guide yourself to success.

6 Travel

Blue Monday was originally meant to sell more travel, but that's because travel can help make people happy. Traveling allows you to expand your mind and your limits. It allows you to meet many new people and different cultures, and at the same time get to know yourself better. However, it is not necessary to spend unimaginable sums to make a good trip and you do not necessarily have to go to the end of the world, sometimes your car or a train ticket and the right people to travel are enough.

7. Multitask without fee

If you always feel devastated, you are probably trying to do too many things at once. Some research has shown that when you shift your focus from your main activity to another, you're increasing the time it takes to complete that task by 25% (on average). In this way you decrease your productivity and burn your energy reserves.

8. Don't hold a grudge

You get no benefit from holding a grudge. It distracts you mentally and makes you unhappy. Besides, doesn't it seem like life goes so much better when you're not angry?

9. Don't give up

One of the characteristics of successful people is that they have determination. Having determination means having passion and perseverance in long-term goals. Grit is resistance, it is staying true to the future we have chosen for years and working hard to make it a reality. Having courage is living life as if it were a marathon, not a speed race.

10. Take care of yourself, and then of others

People who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem and be happier. But how can you help others if you don't take care of yourself first? Get your life in order, get your needs met, and then start helping others.

11. (Bonus) Read Fervid Inspiration articles

The Fervida Inspiration staff strives every day to help people live happy lives, guided by inspiration instead of despair. We are glad that you are reading our posts and if we have managed to inspire you we are more than happy. We also invite you to subscribe to the newsletter so as not to miss other useful articles.

A couple of weeks ago we also wrote an interesting article, where we compiled the tactics and advice of psychologists and experts for a healthier and less divisive 2020: click here to read the article

Conclusions

It doesn't matter your age, how much money you have in the bank or your marital status. Everyone wants to be happy in life. So don't worry about Blue Monday and start working on your happiness right now.