Blue Monday

If you’re feeling a bit down now the holidays are over, it’s not surprising. Read on to find out why…

Are you facing a less than optimal bank account level? Have you gained a couple of extra pounds over the festive period? Are you trudging through muddy fields in cold and wet weather? If one or all of the above apply to you, they have come together in a perfect storm that is believed to be the most single depressing of the year: Blue Monday aka Monday 16^th January this year.

Blue Monday was created back in 2005 by Sky Travel Shop, a television channel devoted exclusively to programs about travelling, documentaries, and commercials for travel agencies. The folks at Sky Travel named this day “Blue Monday” and called it the most depressing day of the year for a variety of reasons:

• One of Sky Travel’s main claims is that Blue Monday is a calculated date from an equation. The day was originally part of a publicity campaign, but later gained popularity and its share of both supporters and opponents seems to be here to stay
• The date varies from year to year, depending on a variety of factors, such as weather, debt, the time that has passed since Christmas day and enough time that has passed for us to start to fail our New Year’s resolutions.

The formula for calculating which day is the “bluest” day of the year has been mocked by many academics as “pseudoscience” as it does not use any specific units and does not seem to be particularly fool proof. These people argue that there isn’t one specific day that makes you sadder than others, and there is no formula to calculate this idea. Many say that Blue Monday has particular symptoms, such as feeling down from the colder weather and it being the end of holiday festivities. 

Embrace it, don’t shy away from it! Look at the remaining days of January with an open mind and be honest with yourself as to what you could do better for the remainder of the year.

If you did set yourself some New Year’s resolutions and if, like many, you’ve already fallen at the first hurdle and failed some or all of them, don’t fret as this is very common. What’s more, don’t be put off either as January’s a great time to review why this happened and how it could have been avoided.

Create new achievable resolutions. Remember to set yourself up for success this time. Rather than setting large New Year’s Resolutions, set smaller ones that are easier to achieve.

Review your resolutions. Then, after a few months, when you feel ready, it will be time to take the next step. In short, take this day to re-plan your resolutions so you can get them right the next time around. 

Beat those January blues with some pieces from our super classy “Blue” winter wardrobe:

The EQUUS Grantchester Coat is a warm parka riding coat, whilst the LeMieux Waterproof Riding Coat is a great alternative if you’re out in the elements when heavy downpours occur.

The Ariat Tri Factor Frost Insulated Riding Breeches are smart, functional and, most importantly, incredibly warm. Made from windproof and water resistant Softshell fabric lined with cosy fleece, these horse riding breeches are well designed for winter weather. 

 Base Layers are an essential layering piece and the HKM Base Layer is a firm favourite.

Have a stylish (Blue Monday) ride and make it a day to remember and refocus!