What The F#@k is Your Excuse?

What the F#@k is your excuse?

Okay, so maybe they are not saying it that quite that way and with that tone, but seriously that is all I hear when health and wellness influencers say the words "What is your excuse?"

In my opinion it is basically looking down at an individual and saying "Hey, I am doing it, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Harsh right? But, it's my perception.

Everyone has different goals when it comes to health and wellness. Everyone has different priorities. Everyone is at a different time in their lives. It is not always about excuses, but about self perseverance.

I have had this blog post sitting in my drafts since Jan 26, 2018 not knowing how I wanted to get this point across as I had so many ways I wanted to say this. It wasn't until I saw a post on Instagram by Melissa Hartwig; co-founder of Whole30 that the thoughts in my head all made sense. She wrote:

"Yesterday's post about privilege and fitness brought up another subject: The idea that "We all have the same 24 hours," and some just work harder than others. The problem is, we DON’T all have the same 24 hours.

•A few years ago, my 24-hours looked like me working my ass off just trying not to fall apart, as my marriage was crumbling, my business was up in the air, and I was single-parenting my young son. Those 24 hours look NOTHING like the 24 hours I have now. I worked just as hard then. I wasn't lazy or unmotivated. I even went to the gym, occasionally. But I was certainly nowhere near as fit as I am today, and looked nothing like I look now. I was working just as hard as you, but you'd never have known it.

•Occasionally, I'd complain that I felt out of balance and missed the gym. And had someone dared to say to me then, "You know, we all have the same 24 hours," I would have borrowed your hands to flip them off four times.

•Life stress, marital stress, financial stress; responsibilities to a job, a child, a sick loved one; your own health challenges, physical and mental... all of these shape our 24-hours. We don't all have the same days, and suggesting someone does ALSO suggests that the issue is THEM; they're not committed, hard-working, or making the effort. Which perhaps comes from a place of motivation (honestly, I question that, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt), but really only serves to pile more guilt and shame onto an already burdened mental and emotional state.

•So, fitness influencers and trainers, instead of saying, "We all have the same 24 hours," try supporting your community by sharing fitness strategies that actually WORKED for you. How did you find time as a busy working parent? How did you stay motivated when life was kicking your ass? What did you do when you didn't have money to join a gym? By offering REAL tips from your personal perspective, you can make an authentic impression in a space littered with image crafting, have the feel-good experience of actually making an impact in someone's life, AND help us all shake off the shame that is so often disguised as "fitspiration."

Life is not meant to be compared to one another. You should have a goal with yourself. Wanting to be better than you were yesterday. And I hate to break the news to you, but if you are not a better version of yourself than you were yesterday, than there is always tomorrow.

Instead of beating people down with guilt and shame about what they are not doing, let's focus on what they are doing right and build off of that.

No More Shame.

I hope this post helps you like it helped me. Our 24 hrs are always changing and can look different year to year, week to week and even from day to day. Prioritize YOUR life and YOUR 24hrs as you need to. Just make sure your health and wellness is not always at the bottom of the list.

If you are finding your health and wellness is always at the bottom of your priority list, then maybe you need to start making some life changes.

Check out the 10 Day Whole Body Cleanse to get a jumpstart on your health.