5 Ways to Combat Blue Monday

January 15, 2018 is the most depressing day of the year so it can only go up from here, right?!

Blue Monday is generally the third Monday in January. It’s when our Christmas memories have faded, our bank accounts have taken a big hit (from Christmas), the weather isn’t great and we’re back to work after some time off over the holidays.

So what can we do about it? Here are 5 easy ways to not be depressed on Monday.

Watch a feel-good movie

Either at home like When Harry Met Sally or Up OR go out and see The Greatest Showman at Uptown Theatre in Barrie. I just did that with my parents the other day and it’s basically impossible to not feel happy after watching a musical! (Bonus: Zac Efron is in it.)

Experience the magic of The #GreatestShowman🎩 this weekend by downloading the original soundtrack on @iTunes! Get it now at: fox.co/ShowmanOST

A post shared by The Greatest Showman (@greatestshowman) on Jan 14, 2018 at 9:46am PST

Exercise!

It really is an anti-depressant. You WILL feel good after. I know it can take some energy and motivation to get moving but once you do, you’ll be glad you did! Whether it’s checking out a local skating trail, going skiing/snowboarding or some salsa dancing like me, you’ll bound to feel much better!

Plan a Vacation

Or better yet, we’ve planned it for you! Listen to Kool FM for the sound of the Kool FM Jet so that you can qualify to win a trip to the sunny south and escape this bitter cold!

See friends you haven’t seen in a while

This tends to be a not-so-busy time of year, so people have more time to hang out. Friends can give you a different perspective on things. My friend, Derek is dealing with a chronic illness so when we hang out, we just chill and go to the coffee shop or go for a swim/hot tub. It’s simple plans but we have hilarious conversations and he helps me to see the positive in things.

Welcome to CLC! I’m the other half of this venture! Where do I start? Well, my health journey began a looooong time ago (not in galaxy far, far away) while I was attending the University of Guelph for a degree in criminology. The first few symptoms to appear were nothing more than annoying muscle cramps and spasms during the many hours I dedicated to my favourite sport – volleyball. These complaints eventually progressed to debilitating gastrointestinal, dermatological, neurological, and psychiatric symptoms that kept me away from exercise, sports and my dreams of becoming a police officer. I scoured the literature for natural therapies and shelled out a lot of money for naturopaths, homeopaths, and every other avenue of natural health. Conventional medicine was failing me and so was alternative medicine. I became severely depressed, angry, anxious, lost and completely broken. Eventually, after consulting 18 local specialists and visiting Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, a neurologist from McMaster’s Neuromuscular Clinic in Canada cracked the case with an antibody test through Mayo Clinic. My intuitions were validated as I was finally diagnosed with a rare muscle disorder called Isaac’s Syndrome, or immune-mediated neuromytonia. • Although many of these muscle-related symptoms are linked to the Isaac’s Syndrome, my team of specialists and I have been on the hunt for yet another possible diagnosis in the area of immunology and rheumatology. Currently, we’re investigating a possible diagnosis under the umbrella of auto-inflammatory disorders. • It took me a long time to adapt to my situation. I learned that when your back is up against the wall, and there is nowhere to run, you learn to work with what you have, even if all you have is patience. Some goals and dreams will come quickly and others may require a tremendous amount of persistence. Keep moving forward, no matter what. “The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.” • It is through these life experiences that I’ve been able to draw strength, wisdom and a desire to help others. My mission is to bring my own experiences and daily wisdom to the world – one post at a time! 💛 #ChronicLoveClub

A post shared by Chronic Love Club (@chronicloveclub) on Aug 2, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT

Make soup!

Comfort food is the best this time of year and there honestly is nothing better than a homemade bowl of hearty soup! I made this butternut squash soup recently and surprised myself by how delicious it ended up being while also easy to make. I’ll even give you the recipe.

Speaking of food, baking a batch of good old-fashioned no-fuss chocolate chip cookies is also a perfect pick-me-up. Just use the recipe on the back of the Chipits bag.

So there you have it – 5 ways to not be sad tomorrow. And go!