January Blues in a Global Pandemic

Blue Monday 2021

As I met my friend for a walk this morning 

I heard on the radio that today is known as Blue Monday.
It's the third Monday of January and is supposed to be the saddest day of the year due to a combination of bad weather long nights and lingering aftermath of the festive glut!
Add into that 10 months of Covid 19 and a National Lockdown as well as no chance of a coffee at the end of the walk and  Blue Monday took on a whole new meaning!
 As I walked with my friend at a safe 2 metre distance, less than 5 miles from home we talked about how we felt and if it was anything to do with Blue Monday.

Interestingly we were both feeling a little fed up. We both celebrated our  60th birthday in 2020 and somehow our own mortality has hit us as we realise that we could be considered as old!!!
We have been offered a free flu vaccine, we have both been called for a mammogram as well as being sent a little mascara brush to submit our bowel cancer-screening test! No wonder we are feeling fed up. 

We know we are not old but we both know that we should be making the most of these years and its annoying us that we are being denied what we had planned. We both understood the importance of the lockdown and the restrictions and we both agreed that we were lucky to be fit and healthy and not to have lost anyone through covid.          

That said, we are both tired of listening to pundits advise us on how to lighten our mood. Enjoy your natural surroundings, take time to read that novel, learn a new skill! Write down 3 things to be grateful for every day and read them back at the end of the week!!! We smiled as we both held up two fingers to these positive ideas because we are weary of them.

We did all that in March were fed up of it now  and Im sure we are not the only ones.

We talked about what we missed and we were in agreement it was the spontaneity of life. The freedom to shop in comfort without avoiding others and trying to speak to cashiers through a damn mask. The joy of booking a short break and being able to drive more than 5 miles without being pulled over by the police. 

We know we are lucky and no one is dropping bombs on us but we would really like to book that theatre trip in the knowledge that its not going to be cancelled. Or maybe book a city break or a country retreat and enjoy our retirement.

After my walk I met a friend from Slimming world outside the local post office. It was so lovely to see her and chat. We both miss the social side of the group and the banter that we enjoyed every Wednesday. We were both struggling to be self disciplined at a time when little chocolate treats and a glass of wine lift our mood. I had a video call from my sisters and once again we talked about the difficulty of self motivation and how we just wanted to stay in our comfies and do nothing but for some reason we don't allow ourselves to that. 
We try to keep busy. Clear out a cupboard, sort out the paperwork, finish that project you started before xmas.
We are lucky enough not to work and we can stay home and not have to juggle work kids and family. It occurred to me that every age group have their difficulties during this pandemic.

My daughters say how last lockdown it was fun and school work wasn't as
planned and organised as it now with virtual classrooms and on line learning.
They are feeling a whole different kind of Covid Stress. School learning platforms allow parents to share work that they have completed with their kids. 

There is a whole new level of expectation and feeling of failure if the work they are producing at home seems less than others in the class. But others may all have access to lap tops and not have a baby at home or a toddler that is being potty trained. They may not have a 4 year old who needs attention whilst on an important zoom call.

Then there are the young adults. The teenagers who can’t meet their friends, those in their 20s who are missing out on a university life or have been furloughed from their new job.

Those who are in their 70s and 80s who are increasingly worried about the virus and those who are front line workers who are in contact with people every day.

We are all fed up. Yes we are grateful, yes we know it will pass and yes we know others are in a worse situation than us but we are just fed up!
 I just want to say that on Blue Monday I allowed myself to feel sorry for myself. I sat and pondered all the things I miss and I voiced my frustration to those close to me. 
I am a glass half full type of person so having done all that and put two fingers up to all those psychologist who are full of happy thoughts I poured myself a G& T and danced around to Blue Monday by New Order as it played on the turntable which my hubby bought for Christmas.
Playing Vinyls is his way of keeping happy but I’m not sure he appreciates the 70s dance moves that I insist on doing to his 80’s classics.
So on Blue Monday 2021 I had a bit of a blip but I’m sure that with the real conversations with friends and family as well as a few G&Ts I will be back on form soon.

                                                       

Stay safe guys and remember its OK not to be OK.