Several years ago, my wife and I contemplated moving to Seattle.  I don’t think I would have made it. I love sunshine - clear blue sky days are my kind of days. So on this dreary and overcast day, it was with great interest that I read this morning that today is the most depressing day of the year (according to psychologist Cliff Arnall a former part-time lecturer at the University of Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning in Wales). So to depressed people everywhere -  CONGRATULATIONS Today is YOUR day!

In 2005, Arnall devised a formula to calculate the worst day. For 2005, it was Monday, Jan. 24; 2006 it was Monday, Jan. 23. This year, you guessed it, it’s today. 

Arnall’s so-called formula looks like this:  [W + (D-d)] x TQM x NA.

All of the letters and symbols apparently represent a sort of mathematical code to track the following:

W: How bad the weather is at this time of year.

D:  Amount of debt accumulated over the holidays minus how much is paid off.

T:  The time since the holidays.

Q: Amount of time passed since New Year’s resolutions have gone south.

M: Our general motivation levels.

NA: The need to take action.

Believe it or not, Arnall’s dreaded-day formula was originally commissioned as a public relations stunt for Sky Travel according to MSN. They used this day to promote travel. Shocking!

I believe action can help overcome the yuck feeling that might accompany post holiday blues, inactivity, crummy weather and even debt.  I also think that helping others can people over depression. 

One of the people I interviewed for my Richest People in America project (www.TheRichestPeopleinAmerica.com) told me that if people really knew how good it made you feel to do something good for others, there would be a lot less Prozac sold in the U.S.  

So I am going to use this day to motivate others to action (as soon as I get out of my bathrobe and slippers). Nay, maybe tomorrow or when the sun comes out. 

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com