Jan. 22nd Most depressing day of the year?

I woke up this morning and I did not want to go to work. Frankly I just wanted to stay in bed and go about my morning leisurely. I literally had to fight with myself not to call in sick - I sometimes struggle with self motivation.

As I made my way out of my parking space and on to the road to my office the news breaks: Jan. 22nd has been determined to be the most depressing day of the year. Dr. Cliff Arnall of the University of Cardiff, Wales created a formula that takes into account numerous feelings to devise peoples' lowest point and the calculations show that misery peaks this very day- Monday, January 22nd!

So it's not my fault??? Should everyone just take Jan. 22nd off and stay in their PJ's all day? Sounds good for a moment and then I wonder what people would do if they did have the most depressing day of the year off? My guess is probably nothing special. I for one would probably take in my morning leisurely and then maybe go see a movie. Clean a little, cook a little and more than likely just waste the day away until the day after the most depressing day of the year when I’ll still have to go back to work.

It's the mundane-ness of life that has caught up with me today, so I listen on as the man from NPR interviews this Dr. Arnall.

Apparently there is an equation that is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.

Well I live in California and as luck would have it today will be mainly sunny and warm, I essentially have no debt-- I HATE to be in debt and avoid it at all costs! My monthly salary-- well who wouldn't want more money in their pocketbook? All things considered I don't struggle to pay for the things I need in life. Time since Christmas.....this one throws me.....I know the intent of this is that people generally take time off to spend with family and there are lots of parties and so on, but I mostly see it as a money-centric time of the year instead of focused on it's true origins (The birth of Christ). Time since failed quit attempt is another throw away since I long ago decided New Years resolutions just don't work! One year I thought I’d make one that would....... by resolving never to make another New Years resolution again and that one has worked for me! Low motivation levels- well yes that brings me back to my morning dilemma. The need to take action--- well that maybe the solution right there.

One of the things that I believe in most is that we all have the ability to change our lives. We can quit our jobs, go back to school, sell our cars, and break up with those people who really aren't right for us. We can, if we wanted to, completely change our lives. So with that in mind it can be said we also have the key to our own happiness. Inevitably things will happen to us along the way that are unexpected and unwelcome, but that's life and it happens to everyone. You deal with your bends in the road and try to stay on course.

What troubles me is that I’ve been caught up in the mundane. I've allowed myself to fall into a routine that is now so unacceptable to me that I don't want to participate in it. The routine of my life is boring me. I am bored essentially and the only way to find myself out of this one is to create some change. Where does that begin? How do you break from the usual and create excitement in your life when you look around and nothing's really wrong?

If there are any thoughts on this and/or the most depressing day of the year- please send them on.