Blue Monday?
You’ve probably heard of Blue Monday. It’s a concept that has been floating around since the early 2000s suggesting that the third Monday of January (today!) is the most depressing day of the year.
In some ways, it makes sense. The pretty lights of seasonal celebrations have gone, and in many cultures there is no festival to look forward to in the near future. If you have celebrated Christmas, it is quite possible you have overspent. If you made a New Year Resolution, it is quite possible you have broken it. The weather is cold and dull, the electricity bill is massive, it’s dark when you get up and dark when you come home from work… No wonder the concept of Blue Monday resonates!
The originator of Blue Monday suggested that taking a holiday somewhere nice and sunny in January was the best way to beat the blues, but then as a travel company they would! I’m here to suggest a much cheaper (free, even!) activity that can literally make those low feelings take a hike: go for a walk, and notice what is around you.
The day has started cold and sunny here this Blue Monday. So I’m dragging one eager teen and one less enthusiastic boy out for a wander around our estate.
Yes it’s cold out, so put on plenty of layers. A vest, long sleeved shirt, two jumpers, a cardi, and a jacket are as good as a fluffy coat (yes, I have left the house in winter wearing exactly that!). Don’t forget warm socks, gloves, and a hat. If it’s raining, by all means wait for it to stop. Or wear wellies (with extra socks, welly boots are not good for warmth) and take your umbrella! Step out into the weather, take a deep breath, and start walking.
You may have noticed I haven’t suggested you go somewhere in particular for your walk. This is a quick, spontaneous ‘beat the blues’ activity that you can fit into a lunch break. As long as you are safe, start strolling where-ever you are. The important part is to also look around, and notice what is near you. This may be interesting objects, patterns, and architecture. But I encourage you to find the plants and wildlife around you. Even in the busiest cities, there are little splashes of natural interest: hardy plants growing from cracks in the pavement; pigeons and other birds hunting for food; the web of branches formed by bare trees; moss and lichen growing in a wall…
Finally, the last step to having a good winter’s walk: getting home. I love that feeling of snuggling under a blanket somewhere cosy with a hot drink after being out in the cold. Sometimes that’s by the fire, or leaning on the radiator. Or it could be in a heap of pillows and blankets or even going to bed in the middle of the day. There’s something very decadent and self-care-y about allowing myself twenty minutes in bed with a book and a hot chocolate at two in the afternoon!
Since this is an art blog, you must be wondering how all of the above links to creativity. For me, the main thing is the visual stimulus: waving branches in the sun, raindrops hanging from leaves, the quick movements of birds, the glimpse of green peeking from the earth. My art is fed from the natural world, the colours, the shapes, the inspiration. Once I have finished my hot chocolate and wandered into my studio, sketches and games with paint come more easily after a walk.
