Apparently today is “Blue Monday.” That’s another way of saying “Sad Monday,” the most depressing day of the year.

Although I haven’t seen any hard science about any of this, it’s easy to see why:

It’s freezing. And if you live in North America, it’s even colder than usual. This morning I walked the kids to school and saw a polar bear wearing a parka.

Our bodies are recovering from unrighteous December diets.

Our brains suffer shock and awe as we open Christmas credit card bills.

Kids complain that they “have nothing to look forward to.” (I know, first world problems.)

Some of your friends post tropical pictures in warm, faraway lands. (Mea culpa!)

There’s not as much sunlight.

Plus, the news reel is so disparaging that it makes you wonder if we’ll even make it to summer.

If months were eggs, January would be the one skunk in the dozen.

So what do you do about it?

A bunch of things come to mind: Getting some exercise, prayer and worship, and going out of your way to help someone.

Those are super-solid habits. But today I want to focus on this:

Laugh.

Laughter is the undocumented antidote to doldrums, depressing thoughts and dreary days.

Seriously, I think you should think about it. In his book GrATTITUDE, Ace Collins writes, “A good joke is the fastest way to open a door to the soul, and a hearty laugh brightens so many lives.”

I agree. It won’t jump-start your car or pay your bills, but it might swirl some colour into your grey.

So…

Get together with a friend to do something laugh-worthy.

Go on a fun date with your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend.

Watch a funny movie.

Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

I’ll go for a cheerful heart over a broken spirit any day.

So find a way to LOL.

Laughter is the undocumented antidote to doldrums, depressing thoughts and dreary days.

• To sign-up for my daily devo called “Up!” click here. It’s 1-minute helium to start each day in a biblical way.