Did you know today is the day referred to as “Blue Monday” for 2021? It typically falls on the third Monday in January of each year. It’s considered to be the most depressing day of the year, due to a combination of factors: shorter days, less sunlight, time since Christmas, debt accrued, and failed New Year’s resolutions.

With the pandemic keeping us home more, this certainly is a more difficult start to the year than most years.

I haven’t made resolutions in quite some time. They seem more like a setup for failure, and I don’t need any more of those feelings in my life! Choosing a word for the year to focus on is a great alternative, one I will talk about in a future blog post. But for today, I’d like to offer up some ideas on creating a happier year ahead.

• Let the past be the past. Cherish the memories. Let them raise you up and sustain you. Don’t let them become a ball and chain that keeps you locked in a prison of sadness.
• Keep a strong dose of reality, but don’t swallow a pill of bitterness. There are things you can’t change. Create workarounds for yourself.
• Learn something new. Why are children so happy? Why do they smile in the morning and resist going to bed at night? Their brains are always engaged in learning. We are happier when we are learning. Learn something new. Create something new.
• Plan for spring and the brighter days ahead. Plant a bulb, plan a flower garden. Grow something, however large or small. Flowers are like the promise of life. A seed must be buried in the dark before it can spring forth.
• Commune with God. We were created to be spiritual beings. Don’t fight it. Go with it. Your peace and happiness just may depend on it. There is no weakness in relying upon God and trusting in him. It simply serves to make us stronger. Be bold. Dare to be different. Dare to be a God-fearing, God-loving person in a world that has turned away.
• Forget resolutions. Have they ever worked for you before? If not, they aren’t likely to now. Word for the year? If that works, go for it. I like that concept, but if it makes you feel like you’ve failed in the past, don’t bother.
• Set goals. Reasonable goals. Attainable goals. Goals that encourage progress, not perfection. Slow and steady wins the race.

That’s it! When I get down, I’m going to revisit this list. I hope it helps you, too.

May God bless you in this new year.

Love, Carolyn

Feel free to comment and share what works for you.

And don’t forget: “Life isn’t easy. Together we can make it better.”