On this Blue Monday, consider these glossy ways to give yourself a little lift …
Today, apparently, is the most depressing day of the year. The rather hopeless moniker Blue Monday has been selected for today, Monday January 15 because of where it sits in the calendar. According to experts, the third Monday of January is a perfect storm of post-holiday blues, anxiety over money (because, January) and gloomy, frosty weather – it’s also the point at which many of us abandon any new year’s resolutions we’d so gleefully set out just a few weeks previous. In light of the day it is, we share the micro moments and little lifts that can help to keep you buoyant right now…
Buy yourself flowers
They don’t have to be anything fancy – in fact, a bunch of supermarket tulips is perfect. Double up with two bunches for volume and break out your favourite vase.
Embrace a bit of madness
The antidote to the January blues? Out and out maximalism, as demonstrated in this very busy – and very beautiful – reading room by design studio Côte de Folk. While we’re not suggesting to break out the wallpaper of a Monday, we do suggest embracing this feeling of abundance in your day. Wear head-to-toe prints, treat yourself to a coffee and a slice of cake, wear a slick of bright lipstick: whatever you need to do to feel a bit extra.
Indulge in a good book
There’s nothing like losing yourself in a good book. And this time of the year, we often want something inspiring and thought provoking. Cue: the rapturously anticipated Day (Fourth Estate, €22.99) by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham, which is nothing short of beautiful. Isabel and Dan are married and living in Brooklyn with their children, while Isabel’s gay brother Robbie, struggling to make his way, is living in their attic. Despite his apparent failure, Robbie represents a world that feels lost to Isabel and Dan, namely, youth and possibility. The story takes place on one day, April 5, over three years – 2019, 2020 and 2021 – but this is not so much a pandemic book as an elegy for the world, and for a way of life. As per all Cunningham novels, this is perfectly written and feels both devastating and essential. If you’re a fan of audiobooks, Julianne Moore, who starred in the film adaptation of Cunningham’s The Hours, reads this one. @edelcoffey
Make a meal of it
Carve out some time to make yourself some comfort food today – whether it’s an indulgent snack or a Monday night meal that feels a bit special (we love this comforting tomato soup, or this cheeky chocolatey dessert). Set the table, light a candle, use the good table linen: go wild!
Plan your garden
With this frosty weather, it may seem like forever until we’ll be out pottering in the garden, or even until it’s time to plant some seeds, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan your dream garden now. January is the perfect time to take stock of the kind of plants you’d love to have in the mix this year. Look back on photos of your garden in bloom last summer; see what works, what didn’t, what you might need more of. Do as gardener Arthur Parkinson does and create a moodboard detailing the dream annuals, perennials and biannuals you’d like to plant this year, in what colours and what locations.
Watch some good TV
Catch up on the addictive shows everyone is talking about right now. See Michelle Keegan star in gritty, crime thriller Fool Me Once on Netflix or look at the Golden Globe nominated Fellow Travellers starring one of our favourite Bridgerton stars, Jonathan Bailey, and Matt Bomer on Paramount +. Or, if you feel like getting out of the house, head to the cinema to completely shut off and enjoy the big screen.
Dream of your next holiday
Image; www.thedolli.com
Dream of your next holiday destination or depending on how organised you are, book a flight! The hopeful thoughts of brighter days, sunny mornings and delicious cuisine will set you right again. “I don’t actually need to travel this month. It’s the guttered candle view of the next two that scares the lights out of me. I am not bothered by clear and cold white, inky or navy skies, but grey doesn’t do my head any good. Now is the month for travel plans” says our Travel Editor Tim Magee. @manandasuitcase