Blue Monday revisited.

I read that yesterday, Blue Monday, is traditionally the gloomiest day of the year. I think there might be some truth to that…after all, I did write yesterday about a writing funk I’ve been in. Then, whammo, this morning I was greeted with a lovely message in my inbox:

“Congratulations! Your article “Attending a Seed Swap” was chosen by the Editor of the Section in which it appears this week because it exemplifies the quality content, excellent presentation, and high standard we are striving for at Suite101.”

I guess I’m getting the hang of writing for that website. So yay.

Blue Monday is supposed to be…well, blue, because of all the post-Christmas bills, living (at least in Northern climates) in the depths of winter, feeling like crap physically, etc. but the truth is, for Graham and I, our financial situation is on the mend. Making this decision to consolidate our debt is one of the best things we could have done for ourselves, and I highly recommend it to you if you’re paying a lot of interest in monthly credit card or loan bills, and if you can get a good interest rate.* I finally feel like I’m about to be released from the grip of heavy monthly expenses, and I’m looking forward to being able to afford to buy something, anything, without all the crushing GUILT. I rarely buy anything new for myself (with the exception of the elliptical trainer, which we bought with remaining wedding gift money), and when I do I feel guilty for hours afterward. Is this a female phenomenon, this shopping guilt?

As for the depths of the Canadian winter, it is, indeed, snowing rather heavily this morning. It’s pretty and clean out there, and although it’s beginning to feel like spring is never going to arrive, I’m going to attend a seed swap tomorrow night, which means I’ll get to be all geeky and talk about plants with some fellow gardeners, making winter less painful for this gardening girl to endure. Soon it will be time to start thinking about starting up some seeds in the basement.

I don’t feel too horrible, physically, but the little bit of yuckiness I feel about my body and how I treat it should dwindle with the use of the elliptical trainer that is sitting in this very room, beckoning me, taunting me to hop on.

I know that for some, it’s easier said than done, but maybe Blue Monday should be a day to take stock of what positive things you have going on in your life, rather than focusing on the negatives?  Just a thought.

*Assertagirl is not a professional financial advisor of any sort.

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