topic Re: The Truth About Blue Monday in Community Chat

The Truth About Blue Monday

willowbark — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:01:29 GMT

The concept of Blue Monday originated with psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2005, when he devised the notion as part of a marketing campaign for the now-defunct travel company Sky Travel.

The premise is that the gloomiest day of the year would be marked by bad weather, guilt over not being able to keep up with the goals set for the year, money worries, and the contrast between the recent holiday cheer and the harsh return to mundane reality.

Large studies suggest mental wellbeing fluctuates across the week, often dipping to mid-week rather than on Mondays.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

ThinkingOutLoud — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:36:32 GMT

Regardless of what Mr. Arnall determined...

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

tends2dogs — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:37:04 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
Regardless of what this guy determined...

I agree. If you wake up thinking you are going to have a bad day, you probably are.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

FranandZoe — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:53:40 GMT

@tends2dogs wrote:
@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
Regardless of what this guy determined...

I agree. If you wake up thinking you are going to have a bad day, you probably are.

@tends2dogs

@ThinkingOutLoud I totally agree. I always liked this quote from Mark Twain - ""Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

Oznell — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:40:04 GMT

Very interesting, @willowbark . So, it sounds like the now-defunct Sky Travel, was encouraging travel on Mondays, based on Arnall's ideas, to counteract the sad feelings people might have on that day?

I must say, the idea of a Monday escape, just to 'postpone' the oncoming burdens of the week, probably sounds good to a lot of people!

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

tototwo — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:28:16 GMT

Just tell yourself every day when you get up and look in the mirror (which is often scary in itself) that it's going to be a good day and whatever crises may come up, you have the strength to deal with them.

You don't stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

mrshckynut — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:07:32 GMT

@willowbark my husband told me it was Fats Domino in 1956

mrshckynut

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

Bella8888 — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:08:32 GMT

@tototwo

//You don't stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing.//

Golden truth there.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

tansy — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:33:19 GMT

Retirement means no more dreading Mondays.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

Bonkers1 — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 20:41:57 GMT

@tansy

Exactly.

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

shoekitty — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:03:15 GMT

Re: The Truth About Blue Monday

willowbark — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:14:26 GMT

@tansy wrote:
Retirement means no more dreading Mondays.

Very true and even when I was working I never dreaded Mondays.