The festive season is over, payday seems like a lifetime away and there is often a sense of pressure to make big life changes at this time of the year.

And all of that is made worse by the fact it is still cold, dark, wet and miserable outside, with months to go until summer comes around.

So it is no surprise that Blue Monday – the ‘most depressing day of the year’ — falls in January.

Blue Monday usually falls on the third Monday of January, which this year is the 17th.

It appears to have originated in 2005 after a press release from Sky Travel used an equation to calculate the dreaded date.

So what should we do this year to beat those Blue Monday blues?

Harrogate life coach Lisa Duffield, owner of the Lisa Duffield Centre, has four tips.

1 Comparison is the thief of joy

“I wanted to share a little insight I have found within the clients I work with.

“Individuals that are suffering from what is branded the ‘January blues’ are all so focused on comparison.

“Comparison of this month to last month, this year to last year…

“You and your family’s goals or plans, compared to the family next door, or the family who you spend all your time watching on Instagram that you will never meet. And from this insight I bring you my first pill-free prescription to beat the case of January blues.

“Comparison is the single biggest waste of your time.

“Next time you find yourself comparing yourself to others or your life to others etc. just stop take a breath and if you insist on comparing yourself at all, think about you, how far have you come, what have you learned since yesterday, last year or even an hour ago.”

Harrogate life coach, Lisa Duffield.

2 Make realistic goals

“January blues can also shine through goal setting and unrealistic expectations.

“For some reason many of us believe that when the clock strikes 12 on January 1, you change into a new person, fitter, healthier, wealthier.

“Old traditions even show that we wish our first foot “all the wealth, health and happiness” for the New Year. While this is very kind, it does not mean that you have to become an overnight fitness fad and a self-made billionaire.

“Here comes the second tip, make realistic goals that you know you are able to achieve.

“You may have a big dream and that is amazing, but break it down into incremental chunks.

“Make smaller goals that you know will get to. They could be ‘eat more green veg’ or ‘move for an extra 30 minutes per day’, rather than ‘complete a bodybuilding competition and win in three months’.”

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3 Surround yourself with positivity

“Spend time with those who make you happy.

“Over Christmas many of us spend a lot of time with family and friends, we make the effort to go and see relatives that we haven’t seen since the year previous, or we say Merry Christmas to people in the street and smile.

“This makes us happy because we have also made others feel happy. Why stop?

“You can still spend time with ones you love and you can still engage with people in the street. A simple good morning or hello will work wonders.”

4 Try something new

“Last but not least. We’ve all heard it. ‘Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results’.

“It’s time to try something new.

“If you are looking for a different result in 2022 and maybe you are feeling a little deflated, step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

“You will be surprised the paths this teeny act can lead to, you meet new people, learn and experience new things.”

4 ways to cheer yourself up on Blue Monday – by Nina Meads

1 Go for a walk

Nidd Gorge, is one of the many scenic walks that explore nature in the Harrogate district.

In the Harrogate district, we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by stunning countryside. We really are spoilt for choice and personal favourites are Thruscross Reservoir, Nidd Gorge and Hookstone Wood. You also can’t beat a walk around the grounds at Fountains Abbey or Knaresborough waterside.

So lace up those walking boots and head out into the great outdoors. Fresh air and being amongst nature will boost your mood.

If you’re at work, grab a coffee and go for a stroll on your lunch break.

2 Pamper yourself

Rudding Park Spa.

If you want to really spoil yourself, book into Harrogate’s Turkish Baths or enjoy a spa session at Rudding Park, Grantley Hall or Swinton Park.

If money or time is tight, nothing beats a good bath and a book.

3 Do some exercise and practice mindfulness at a Festival of Wellbeing in Harrogate

A ‘festival of wellbeing’ is being held in Harrogate.

While it’s not taking place on Blue Monday itself, OneWellness, in Mowbray Square, is hosting a second Festival of Wellbeing on Saturday, January 15, to help boost mental health.

The free festival from 9am until 4pm, which is being run in association with Mind Harrogate, Sweaty Betty and Hustle & Co, will offer a range of fitness, nutrition and health classes and talks.

From mindfulness and wellbeing, relax and de-stress yoga, to Pilates, barre, and dance cardio classes, the wellbeing experts at OneWellness have tailored each lesson to suit everyone and help boost physical fitness levels whilst increasing positive wellbeing.

4 Meet a friend for a cuppa and cake

Betty’s Harrogate.

The Harrogate district has some of the best coffee shops and tearooms in the country, including lots of amazing independents and the famous Betty’s.

Arrange to meet a friend for a catch-up and lots of laughs. After all, laughter is good for the soul. Oh and don’t forget the cake. That’s essential.

A rededication service for a remote rural cemetery near Thruscross will take place next month.

The isolated moorland burial site was opened before the village of West End was flooded in 1966 to create a reservoir to serve West Yorkshire.

Beneath the waters lie the ruined remains of a church, churchyard, school, houses and other buildings.

All residents of West End were relocated from their Washburn Valley homes before construction work on the dam began.

At the same time, the new cemetery was opened so that the bodies exhumed from the churchyard could be reburied.

Before the village disappeared Atlantis-like under millions of gallons of water, a final service took place at Holy Trinity.

The then Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd. Llewelyn Hughes, spoke about a place of Christian worship for a thousand years, soon to be in its own watery grave.

One person, who attended the service, said afterwards:

“Seeing the vacant churchyard with its open graves and tombs was an eerie experience, while the Dean’s oratory, delivered in the flickering light of hundreds of candles, was powerful, atmospheric and something I will never forget.”

It’s more than 55 years since the deceased men, women and children of West End were relocated to their new place of rest, high on the moors above the reservoir.

During the past two years, Norman Wheat and fellow Thruscross parish councillors, with support from parishioners at St Saviour’s Thornthwaite, have transformed the cemetery.

The Rev. Alastair Ferneley, who will conduct the rededication service

At 3pm on July 4, the lives of all those buried there, will be celebrated.

The service will be conducted by The Revd. Alastair Ferneley, Vicar of Dacre with Hartwith and Darley with Thornthwaite, who said:

“People may not be aware, due to its remote but lovely location, that the cemetery on Greenhow Hill Road, has, thanks to the hard work of Norman and others, been improved in the last couple of years.

“This has involved the laying of paths, and the planting of wildflowers and trees, making maintenance much more manageable and the cemetery much more attractive.

“Following the reburials of the dead from West End in the 1960s, other local people have been buried in the cemetery and there is space for centuries to come.

“All are welcome to attend, including local people, considering being laid to rest here, when the time comes.

“Others may simply want to peruse the memorials for a bit of local history, look for the grave of a relative, or enjoy the birdsong and moorland views.”

The rededication service will be followed by refreshments and a quiz/treasure hunt.

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Yorkshire Water has again urged people to stay away from reservoirs this weekend as its sites have already seen an influx of visitors since lockdown restrictions were eased.

It’s the third week in a row the company has pleaded for people not to visit its reservoirs as it continues to put plans in place to protect its key workers.

Car parks at Swinsty, Fewston and Thruscross are currently open after lockdown measures were relaxed and allowed people to travel to visit parks and other attractions for exercise.

It comes as people have flocked to reservoirs in the Harrogate district in the past couple of weeks to make the most of the sunshine. More than 50 cars were parked outside Swinsty reservoir in the first week of restrictions being relaxed.

Cars parked outside Swinsty reservoir in the first week of lockdown restrictions being eased.

But bosses at Yorkshire Water have urged people to only visit if they are in walking distance after incidents where cars have been parked inappropriately on nearby roads.

Emily Brady, marketing and content manager at Yorkshire Water, said reservoirs in the county had been busy since restrictions were eased and urged people to stay away.

She said: “Since the government guidelines have changed, we’ve been working hard to devise a plan to keep everyone safe while enjoying our beautiful reservoirs. 

“Our key workers visit our reservoirs regularly to do vital engineering checks so we’re putting plans in place to help protect them.

“While we do this, we want to remind everyone to not visit our reservoirs this weekend unless you live within walking distance. Unfortunately, lots of people are still visiting our reservoirs and they’re very busy at the moment. 

“We’ve had several incidences of people parking inappropriately on roads nearby causing traffic issues too and this has caused issues for emergency services so please don’t visit this weekend and hopefully we’ll be back to normal soon.”

By midday more than 50 cars were parked on the verges around Swinsty reservoir today. It was a similar picture at Thruscross. It’s the first day since the seven week lockdown that people have been allowed to drive to take exercise and many took full advantage of the new rules.

The new guidelines conflict with the wishes of North Yorkshire County Council, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Yorkshire Water which owns the reservoirs and their adjacent car parks. All clearly do not want people to drive out into the countryside at this stage.

Like others the Stray Ferret spoke to at Swinsty today, Rachel Wesson and her son, Rory, had driven up from Leeds to walk their dog.

“We’ve been doing the same walk for a long time now, we live in a built up area and it’s nice to have a proper day out.  We have brought a picnic. When I saw the car park was shut though I did wonder if it was alright to come but I know we are allowed to do this”

Rachel Wesson and her son Rory at a picnic table this lunchtime at Swinsty reservoir

This, though, is the problem for the parish council. Graham Hebblethwaite, the chairman of Washburn Parish Council, says that with car parks shut and people continually arriving, even during lockdown, it has given them a real problem with access and wrecked verges.

Graham Hebblethwaite, chairman of Washburn Parish Council at the top of the lane leading down to Swinsty

He says they now want Yorkshire Water to open the car parks:

“People park on both sides of the road – even across gates. The police have been around many times even during lockdown but nothing seems to happen.  The car parks should have been opened today to stop all the mayhem”.

Fewston Parochial Hall near to the reservoirs where they’ve had to put NO PARKING signs up