What is Blue Monday, origin and why it is the saddest day of the year

The calendar is full of curiosities and dates marked by the most optimistic. But if there is one day that stands out for its particular name and history, it is Blue Monday, which in 2025 is celebrated on Monday, January 20. However, few people know the origin of this celebration and why it is so called

For many, the month of January is one of the saddest of the year. After the Christmas holidays, the continuous meetings with friends and family come to an end and people return to the routine of work or study. In addition, the expenses incurred in the previous weeks make it impossible to keep up the pace in the second half of January. Therefore, these weeks are considered to be 'sadder'

Origin and history of Blue Monday

In 2005, psychologist Cliff Arnall devised a method to overcome the January blues and called the third Monday in January the "saddest day of the year". Although there is no scientific basis to prove that this is the case, many people have nevertheless embraced this day as the ideal time for nostalgia and melancholy to surface

According to theories based on Arnall's mathematical formula, debt, the past Christmas holidays and a time when people begin to lose the desire to carry out their New Year's resolutions all influence this day. In addition, motivation and routine converge and help this third Monday in January to be considered the saddest of the 365 days of the year

Its basis, however, is not popular with the scientific community, which considers the formula to be ineffective. Whether or not it is a day of sorrow for everyone, it is worth taking a look at some of the best phrases and tips to overcome this Blue Monday 2024

Motivational phrases for Blue Monday

• "Ask yourself if what you are doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow," Walt Disney.
• "There is a driving force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy: willpower", Albert Einstein.
• "There are only two days in the year when nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other tomorrow. Therefore, today is the ideal day to love, grow, do and mainly live", Dalai Lama.
• "Genius is made with 1% talent and 99% work," Albert Einstein.
• "The best way to predict the future is to create it," Abraham Lincoln.
• "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships," Michael Jordan.
• "None of us, not even me, has done amazing things. But we can all do small things with great love, which when put together, can do something wonderful," Mother Teresa.
• "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team," Phil Jackson.