Fully Unapologetic: It’s January 15th. Are you thin yet?
The 15th falls smack dab in the middle of the month this year. Feels appropriate. We’re headed back to work. It’s cold for many of us. Our bodies are purging themselves of excess mashed potatoes, ham, pie, cookies, and delicious cocktails–both alcoholic and non. We’ve been with family and friends. Now–you’ve got the whole year in front of you.
It’s the Ides of January.
Are you thin yet? You’ve had two weeks to hit the gym, start up those virtual workouts in your basement, and perhaps indulge in a juice cleanse. Indeed, if you really committed yourself to a new you this year, you would have results.
No? You’re not thin yet? You haven’t achieved all of your goals? But it’s been two weeks, and the year is well underway. If the blitzkrieg of wellness ads hasn’t already told you, your life is passing you by!
What codswallop.
Every year, we are bombarded with this nonsense. We’ve come off a joyous season only to be reminded that we aren’t good enough. Think about that. Is there any other situation where you come from a time of great joy only to be stomped on upon its completion? It’s pretty shocking when you start to think about it.
I’ve talked a bit about self-love, living unapologetically, and not letting the haters get you down. I know, from experience, that January can be difficult. The hangover from the holidays plus short days plus negative reinforcement everywhere you turn is trying at best and a soul-sucking morass of shit at worst. We typically want to be alone. Let’s all hibernate until Springtime when there is light and, perhaps, hope.
Can we be good enough during these dark times?
Here is the answer. Right now, millions of Angelenos are fighting an unimaginable natural disaster. And as a reminder to those who skipped geography in middle school, Los Angeles County has more people than 40 STATES. I have friends in North Carolina who are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. And elsewhere in the world, there is war, famine, drought, and everything in between.
For those who are suffering, they would like a return to normalcy—no drama. Just life. A gentle simmer. I doubt they are seriously worried about their New Year’s resolutions or if they will hit their weight loss goals. They are more concerned about their homes, family, work, and the future.
Being static is ok. Being ok is ok.
A key element of being fully unapologetic is to stop apologizing to yourself. We frequently feel shame when we don’t fulfill what we think we should do. We didn’t work out four times this week. We had *gasp* a soda. We have an ok day, and we feel the need to apologize to others or ourselves. STOP! There is very little difference between a day in January and one in June. It’s just a day. A week. A month.
My beloved Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019 with the mantra: GO 1-0 EVERY DAY. Every day is a new game. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. And sometimes, it rains.
Aim for 1-0. And don’t let unrealistic goals drag you down. It’s ok to be ok.
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#inspiration #bodyacceptance #femaleempowerment #fullyunapologetic #fitnessculture #sizeinclusivity
About the Author:
Shannon Malone-Benedictis (she/her) is a two-time Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker, creative consultant, speaker, and facilitator. From writing her first play at age 10 to executive producing documentaries for Disney+, Netflix, and others, she's always loved telling stories. Learn more about Shannon’s speaking topics and creative services at padlincreative.com.
