January 18th is statistically the most depressing day of the year.

Psychologist Cliff Arnall pinpointed the third Monday of January as the gloomiest day but is urging us not to give in to the blues.

He said: “I would encourage people to use the day as a springboard, to challenge the notion, for people to focus on the high quality things in their life.

“What is important are emotions, who you love and your friends. Look at the things you have, that money can’t buy, have some fun on the day.”

But it isn’t so materially based for everyone.

For other’s, it can be several factors all combined together: weather, debt, time since Christmas, time since failing our New Year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and the feeling of a need to take action.

Others blame the recession, for the idea of uncertainty.

As Tony Robbins says, everyone loves a surprise, right? Untrue. We love a surprise when we enjoy the result.
In life, we often enjoy certainty and the unpredictable.

So, what can you actually do?

I don’t necessarily subscribe to the school of thought called “Positive Thinking.” If there’s serious aspects of your life that aren’t working for you- then how about taking a different tag, that of authentic happiness?

Changing the things in our life that don’t work for us and having more of the stuff that does.

So, here’s my question; What can you do today, so that when you look back on January 18th 2011 and beyond- you can know that you really set your life on track in a direction that you want to go in?

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Zack Polanski is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist for The Lewis Clinic at 1 Harley Street.

Working with a wide range of issues, he can be contacted on 07738088632 or by filling out the enquiry form at www.zackpolanski.com