Why January is for Rest, Not Resolutions
January doesn’t have to be all about future goals and resolutions, especially when it’s cold and dreary outside. I'm all about taking a chill pill during this month and enjoying the present rather than stressing over what I should be doing. This episode, we dive into the idea that it's perfectly okay to slow down and just cozy up indoors instead of feeling the pressure to hustle. I mean, who wants to hit the gym when you can binge-watch your favorite shows under a blanket? Plus, I’ll share some personal insights on why I ditched New Year's resolutions ages ago and how listening to my body has become my go-to mantra. So grab that electric blanket and join me as we explore how to make January a month of relaxation and self-care instead of a race to the finish line!
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January rolls around and suddenly it feels like everyone expects us to reinvent ourselves overnight. But is that really necessary? This episode dives into the tangled emotions of January, a month that often feels like a pit stop between the holiday chaos and the impending February love frenzy. We chat about the pressures of New Year's resolutions that most of us break before the month’s even out. I mean, let’s be real, who’s really up for a gym membership when it’s freezing outside? Not this gal! Instead of racing into the new year, I propose we take a step back, cozy up, and just... be. We discuss how listening to our bodies and embracing a slower pace can be more beneficial than frantically chasing after societal expectations. So grab your fuzzy socks and a warm drink as we explore how January can be a month of rest and reflection rather than hustle and bustle. After all, who says we can’t snuggle into our blankets and binge our favorite shows instead of hitting the gym?
Transcript
Do we need to make January so future oriented?
Speaker A:Welcome back to All About Being Single.
Speaker A:I'm your host, Filetta.
Speaker A:January can be tough for multiple reasons.
Speaker A:A lot of us are starting New Year's resolutions that we might break also in January.
Speaker A:It's the middle of winter.
Speaker A:It's been cold for a few months now.
Speaker A:It's possibly going to be colder for a few more.
Speaker A:People are too busy or too poor because they're recuperating from Christmas and New Year's Eve and just spending so much money on all of that.
Speaker A:If you're single, you've got no one to cuddle with indoors during this weather unless you have pets.
Speaker A:Obviously.
Speaker A:We're also bracing for February, the month of quote, unquote love.
Speaker A:So we're basically in between the two coupled centered months and seasons almost of again, quote unquote love.
Speaker A:Because we've got Christmas, New Year's Eve, so the holidays that just ended, you know, you almost have like that emotional hangover and that's all about like family and getting stuff for other people and getting gifts and spending money and spending time with others.
Speaker A:Seeing couples, seeing people get married, getting, well, not married, but get engaged.
Speaker A:You've also got New Year's Eve.
Speaker A:So like that pressure to reset your whole life.
Speaker A:And so you might be feeling behind in life.
Speaker A:And again, for us singles, especially those of us who want to be coupled up, that definitely hits even harder.
Speaker A:You know, maybe you're trying to partner up before Valentine's Day, which is V Day, and it definitely does feel like actual V Day.
Speaker A:And then for Valentine's Day, you know, you've got all the reminders, even basically in January already of all month long, just anywhere you go, all the stores you go to, just all the reminders of what you don't have, which is that significant other.
Speaker A:So overall inner society, January can just feel very future oriented instead of focused on staying in the present.
Speaker A:So what I actually like to do is I like to go against the grain in this month and listen to my body versus society.
Speaker A:And I just focus on staying in the moment as much as possible and just slowing things down instead of making all these plans to change up basically my whole life.
Speaker A:A, because I know I'm going to fail.
Speaker A:B, because it's, it's winter time.
Speaker A:I haven't made New Year's resolutions in, I would say at least a decade now because I just feel like they're so again, future oriented.
Speaker A:They're so shame based.
Speaker A:They're so.
Speaker A:It's like everybody's doing it And I just don't necessarily love doing the things that everybody's doing.
Speaker A:Like, I'm always kind of last to do stuff, even with social media.
Speaker A:It took me years before I got my MySpace or my Instagram.
Speaker A:Like, I really always went against it until.
Speaker A:Until I didn't.
Speaker A:And, yeah, I just don't like feeling like a failure by not actually fulfilling their New Year's resolutions, which most people don't do.
Speaker A:Most people don't even follow through with them.
Speaker A:So I just don't like feeling that just because everybody else is doing it.
Speaker A:What's the point?
Speaker A:And it's always like, some huge goal, too.
Speaker A:It's like, oh, get in shape.
Speaker A:It's like, okay, lady, you haven't been to the gym in 20 years.
Speaker A:Like, you're not gonna get in shape this year just because it's January.
Speaker A:Especially because it's January.
Speaker A:And I just believe that goals can be made at any time in the year.
Speaker A:And I tend to stick to them more when in the moment I'm like, oh, shoot.
Speaker A:I really have been not on point with my walking, so I really need to start walking more.
Speaker A:And it's like, I almost gotta start doing the thing.
Speaker A:I don't necessarily have to do it, like, right then and there, but basically, like, that day or the day after or within that whole week.
Speaker A:But usually it's kind of like, okay, I really need to focus on this and I'm gonna start doing it today.
Speaker A:So, like, when I know something's no longer serving me, it's like, well, I gotta work on it now instead of waiting till, like, the new Year.
Speaker A:Although sometimes I do wait till, like, the first of the month, if it's, like, close enough, or, like, the 15th of the month.
Speaker A:So I guess sometimes I do wait for, like, specific times, but never New Year's, never New Year's Day.
Speaker A:And I think a lot of the reasoning for that, too, is it's like, January is usually such a cold month, and we don't get as much sunlight, and my body just prefers to stay indoors.
Speaker A:And yes, I still do my walks because I do love walking outside in this weather, but usually I do that when, like, the sun's out.
Speaker A:But I definitely think that January is more for, like, staying indoors and staying warm instead of try to get so many things accomplished.
Speaker A:And I'm not saying I don't.
Speaker A:Again, not that I don't do anything in January.
Speaker A:And I'm not saying you guys shouldn't be doing much in January.
Speaker A:You know, I don't believe that, like, just Rotting.
Speaker A:And I know that's such a common thing nowadays, like, oh, you know, you should be riding.
Speaker A:It's like that's not healthy either.
Speaker A:Like, I get it, have maybe one day a week where you don't do anything that's perfect.
Speaker A:But like if you're riding more than one day a week, that's.
Speaker A:There's an issue there.
Speaker A:But I'm just saying allow yourself to just relax and be in the moment and do less this month instead of more.
Speaker A:At least it's what I'm going to be doing because again, it's like we just ran around in December doing so many things for other people, which is great, you know, spending time with other people.
Speaker A:And you know, we're also possibly looking towards like February where again, it's going to be very couple centered with V day coming.
Speaker A:So I like to treat this month almost like a treat for me if I'm too tired because it's just so cold out and I don't want to go to the gym.
Speaker A:I'm not going to go to the gym.
Speaker A:Like if I have to put a bunch of layers and type of layers and the layers just to go and you know, shopping someplace, I'm not doing it.
Speaker A:If someone asks me to leave my house at 8pm for like a concert in this weather and I just don't want to go, which most likely I don't want to go because it's already dark out.
Speaker A:It's already been dark out for hours.
Speaker A:It's most likely called.
Speaker A:I'm gonna be called just walking in and out of like the.
Speaker A:My car and then that place.
Speaker A:I'm not doing it.
Speaker A:I'm staying in.
Speaker A:I'm putting on some kind of a movie or a TV show or a podcast.
Speaker A:I'm wrapping myself in my.
Speaker A:One of my very.
Speaker A:One of my many electric blankets or my personal electric blanket, my cat.
Speaker A:And I'm just about to spend hours on top of hours just doing whatever the it is that I want to do, whether it be again, just watching a show unapologetically while people are out and about and they're like, I just don't have the need to like meet people right now like that.
Speaker A:Not in the evenings and during the day and the weekend, if I'm all relaxed from doing nothing basically in the evenings all week long, I might, if I want to.
Speaker A:Like I am actually today I'm going to dress up and go on a long walk or drive to starve, rock and go on a hike or maybe I'll go to a coffee Shop and just journal or write another episode, or just do whatever it is that I want to do indoors for the most part, again, except for for my walks or hikes.
Speaker A:And when I get bored, maybe, just maybe, I'll start working on another project.
Speaker A:But basically, more than ever, whatever it is that I'm feeling in the moment, I'm letting my body, that is most likely tired because it's winter time, it's cold most of the time, it is dark most of the time, animals are hibernating.
Speaker A:And I think it's okay if we do less instead of trying to go with this hustle culture and doing more.
Speaker A:Like, if I want some novelty, I'll start another project.
Speaker A:But if I'm just tired and exhausted and my body's just working against me doing that stuff because it is wintertime, I won't push myself to do it.
Speaker A:Which is again, another reason why I don't do New Year's resolutions.
Speaker A:I truly believe that January is a rest and relax and reset month, not a hustle culture month, not a, you know, do all the things you can do while your body doesn't want to, since it's the middle of winter time.
Speaker A:So never again, you guessed it, will I force myself to do a bunch of stuff in January just because that's what everybody else is doing.
Speaker A:And again, I haven't in years now, but definitely not starting anytime soon.
Speaker A:Unless maybe, I guess, if I move to a whole different other state where.
Speaker A:Where winter isn't a winner the way it is out here in the Midwest.
Speaker A:But my buddy is tired.
Speaker A:Christmas was tiring.
Speaker A:I get to just be indoors, mainly for January, besides my walks or my hikes.
Speaker A:So we're going to do a little note to self.
Speaker A:And if you're new here, what I suggest is writing down the answer either on a piece of paper, in a journal, maybe saying it out loud to yourself, or just thinking about it.
Speaker A:I'm going to do a little dance, because I do dance every day, so you can also join me in doing that if you're able to, and then maybe come back to the note to self.
Speaker A:But if not, you can do the note to self while the music's playing.
Speaker A:So what would you like to do in January that might go against the grain of society or even other single people?
Speaker A:Okay, I'm back.
Speaker A:If you're enjoying this episode, please just take a moment to share this with a friend who's single who will benefit from it as well.
Speaker A:I'd like to continue on doing this.
Speaker A:Thanks so much for listening.
Speaker A:Also, if you have any comments, suggestions on how I can improve this podcast, anything I can do differently, anything that you think has been going well, that you really enjoy, please email me.
Speaker A:I'll have links to my email and the website in the show notes, so you can just click on either the email or the website.
Speaker A:You can always leave me a voicemail or an email.
Speaker A:It's all going to be there.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:Okay, so as far as a note to self, for me, another thing that I do that goes against the grain in January is like I mentioned throughout the episode that I still do go outside to do my solo walks instead of going to like the gym or instead of, you know, getting like a walking pad.
Speaker A:For me, the reason, one of the main reasons why I love walking is because of the outdoors aspect of it.
Speaker A:Like, I love the fact that I get to be out in nature, be out and just be happy about what's outside.
Speaker A:So, yes, I love the walking and how it makes me feel, but I think part of how it makes me feel so amazing is because of the fact that I love walking in nature, not just walking indoors.
Speaker A:Okay, let's start the glow up.
Speaker A:So I believe sometimes we push ourselves to do things just because that's what we've done for years.
Speaker A:Or, you know, it's maybe a tradition or we think it's a traditional, or we're just used to doing it.
Speaker A:And like, for example, again, I used to push myself so many Januarys to go to the gym and try to get fit and I would just get all these new gym memberships that I would pay for and then I would never, ever go.
Speaker A:And I've just learned that it's okay to take a month off, whether it's be from the gym or from just doing things that you normally do if you're just tired.
Speaker A:And especially in the winter time, like, I think it's totally fine to just take a month off.
Speaker A:Doesn't have to be January.
Speaker A:It could be February whenever you think the winter blues kind of get you the most.
Speaker A:And to me it's January usually because it's like there's been a few months of winter time at this point and it's kind of like the middle point.
Speaker A:Not necessarily the weather is changing the last few years.
Speaker A:So I feel like nowadays we do, we can even still have cold weather in May when it's my birthday.
Speaker A:But for the most part, like, I almost feel like it's kind of like the middle of it.
Speaker A:And again, it is in right after the holidays were so much and my December is always full of plans, so I just like to take January off, basically.
Speaker A:So for the glow up this week, just maybe try not to push yourself to do something that you normally push yourself to do this week or any week or whatever.
Speaker A:You know, whatever the case might be.
Speaker A:Just pick one thing and just notice how you feel not doing the thing.
Speaker A:That's all just a very simple little glow up for this week.
Speaker A:So nothing crazy because again, January again to me is more of a reset and rest month.
Speaker A:So just a very simple, hey, maybe take one thing off your to do list, don't do it, and just notice how you feel about it.
Speaker A:I hope that this episode resonated with you.
Speaker A:I really appreciate you listening.
Speaker A:Whether this is your first time listening or whether you've been listening from the get go, if you haven't already, please follow this show or subscribe just so you don't miss any future episodes.
Speaker A:And as always, remember, even if we're late, we're right on time.
Speaker A:Again, thanks so so much for listening and being part of this community that I like to keep growing.
Speaker A:I will talk to you next.
