Five Minutes on January

It seems that the simple act of existence without self-loathing is a renegade act. And in January, that renegade act can often feel like a battle.



You’re sat watching crap Christmas telly, maybe eating a quality street, maybe picking your nose, who cares, you’re chilled out and you’re *not thinking about your body* because why would you be?!? You are literally just wearing your pyjamas, watching the telly in your own home with your cats. Or dog. Or hedgehog. WHY the heck would you be thinking about your body thank you and please…? 

Then come the adverts. 

And you’re bombarded by bullshit: Eat this, buy this DVD, change yourself in this way that way IT DOESN’T MATTER JUST AS LONG AS YOU MAKE YOURSELF SMALLER. And you know this is bullshit because you’re *smart* and we all know how capitalism works. But then your favourite celebrity starts to talk about calorie counting. And the influencers are all being sponsored by WW so “IT’S NOT A DIET JUST A BALANCED MEAL” posts start to seep into your consciousness and all of a sudden your timeline’s full of gym memberships and “It’s so easy anyone can do it NEW YEAR NEW YOU” and before you know it, not only are you thinking about your body, you are thinking about it CONSTANTLY.


Criminal isn’t it? How you’ve been dragged from your warm cosy sofa, with headspace for nice thoughts like how you can't wait to try that new body butter your sister bought you and how lovely your mate's hair looked last night, into an all encompassing obsession with something that really, really isn't your issue. And the worst bit? You've been dragged there people who do not give a solitary sh*t about you.

How do I know all this? WELL, I did it. For years. And the battle never really ends. I can ignore the ads, the influencers, the celebritie...but stepping into any workplace in January reminds me that I am very much in the minority in not obsessing over my body, and I can't tell you that's not hard. As smug as I feel that I get to continue business as usual whilst others lose their Januarys to nonsense, there's still part of me whispering "Your body is bad. You should change". 

Yet five years have passed without me letting these whispers win. I'm still here. Happier than ever. Succesful. Thriving. Using my headspace for the things that bring me joy. Yes, it's a battle, but the renegade army is getting bigger and bigger every year - You'll see us on the gram, living our lives, smiling like we mean it because we DO mean it.

Delete the accounts that make you feel anything other than positive.
Put your earphones in when the office nonsense begins. 
Find something else to fill your time; Writing, crocheting, cooking. 

Januarys are hard but we've got this my friend.

Em x