The concept of Blue Monday is new to me inspite of it being around since 2005 as part of a PR campaign. The pseudoscience idea behind is quite bizarre since it based on the mathematical formula originally credited to Cardiff University:
Monday, January 21, 2019 was Blue Monday this year, and if you are like me, new to the concept and very doubtful about it, you will inevitably think back to your week and recall what your day was like on January 21. Yes, the weather took a turn for the worse, with temperatures dropping to unpleasant levels here in Berlin. My bank account revealed the severe beating it has taken from the Christmas season (and recent choices), the bus driver was rude and insensitive towards a passenger, and my blood pressure spiked the entire day, but none of these were sufficient to merit the day being called the most depressing day of the year. Hell, the year is just starting!
Does the world really need another stupid awareness day like this? Aren’t all Mondays Blue Mondays anyway? How we deal with life and our share of burdens all depends our inner strength and attitude. I often ask myself: will I allow a single event to drag me down for life, or will I accept the challenge and look at the situation from a different perspective?
No matter how disastrous the encounter may be, there is always another side to the situation, and it is up to us whether we are open-minded enough to accept it. It is pretty much like cropping a photograph and processing it. Take the example of the peacock above. I shot the entire bird in an open-air museum and at the time I wanted to showcase the rustic environment as part of a travelogue. Years later, I returned to the photograph and decided that I wanted to showcase only the intricate details of the tail, and highlight the abundance of nature. People change, and so do our attitudes.
Reducing my work hours for health reasons means making major financial adjustments and change in lifestyle, but if it will reduce the stress and allow me to extend my life, as well as pursue other interests that are precious to me, then it is worth it. Money is indeed the alpha and omega of the logistical side of life, but it means nothing to the soul and the body. Sure, I have less to spend, but in exchange I have a four-day work week or, if you prefer to look at it in another light, a three-day weekend.
Having a roommate / flatmate meant giving up personal space and disposing of items in order to accommodate my daughter. The adjustment is huge for both of us, after we both got used to living along for the past years, but it is turning out to be a very nurturing environment for both our emotional well-beings. As my medical issues increase, the fact that I now have family in this city is comforting.
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, and take things as they come, rising to the various challenges Life throws my way. This year, however, is the year that I make radical changes in my life, fixing a lot of things that went horribly wrong in 2018. I have learned from my mistakes, know now that I am stronger than I thought, and absolutely fearless of change.
FrogDiva Thoughts 