By Lori Welch Brown

Some think April showers, May flowers.  I think holy crap—it’s almost bathing suit season and my Michelle Obama arms are flapping in the wind.  What the heck happened to all my well-intentioned New Year’s intentions?  What happened to January, February, and March?

I’ll tell you what happened.  It was cold.  I was tired.  The dog ate my gym card.  In other words, my good intentions bit the dust.

Things I did manage to finish:

The laundry (but is it ever really finished?)

Three seasons of YOU

Every episode of Dateline and 20/20 related to the Murdaugh trial

Nine episodes of The Last of Us

Five quarts of Ben & Jerry’s

But, it’s okay.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself because this is the year of total ACCEPTANCE.  Acceptance of myself, others, life’s ups and downs, my husband’s quirks, but not his snoring which I could perhaps accept if I actually had the proper amount of rest and wasn’t so darn crabby all the time.

This is the year I’m going to accept myself as I am.  I’m going to embrace my flaws (of which there are many), and I’m going to accept my body however it chooses to show up every day for me—tired, puffy, a little bloated and gassy, etc.  It’s mine and I need to be more kind, compassionate, and appreciative of it.

That being said, I also need to show it daily love which is what I’m focusing on.  I need to show it love by feeding it good, whole foods that fuel it.  I need to make sure it gets proper rest even if it means sleeping in the guest room occasionally (see snoring above).  I need to take it for nice, long walks.  It really doesn’t mind the cold, but it’s not particularly fond of the wind which hopefully dies down soon.

And, it actually likes to be challenged and pushed a bit.  It’s been a minute since I’ve stepped outside of my comfort zone physically.  During a recent spring cleaning purge, I came across some old half marathon medals and memorabilia from two AIDS rides I completed.  Granted, I was in my thirties when I rode my bike for from Raleigh, NC back to DC, but the pride swelled up inside me like it was yesterday as I looked at the pics of me and my fellow riders with bikes hoisted above our heads in celebration.

Looking at those pictures reminded and inspired me:

I can do hard things;

I can do anything I set my mind to;

Challenges are more fun when done with friends;

My body is capable of doing more than I give it credit for; and

With the proper training, patience, and practice, my goals are attainable.

As much as the calendar taunts me this time of year with what I haven’t accomplished, it is also a reminder that there is no time like the present.  Start where you are. Blank slates aren’t exclusive to the month of January.  Every day your feet hit the floor is a fresh start.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Accepting your body, situation, circumstances, etc. doesn’t mean lying down and raising the white flag.  On the contrary, it means that you have a starting point, a jumping off platform to leap in the direction of your dreams and goals, whatever they may be.

While I may not be up for a century bike ride today, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.  While I can’t run a half-marathon today, I can set a series of goals for myself and build up to it in a way that works for my body and reduces the risk of injury. While I may not be ready to join CrossFit, I can pick up those hand weights and do some bicep curls. Or, maybe I can join a pickle ball league.  There are many options to move, play, and enjoy a sense of community while working toward my good intentions.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

I’m also telling myself that Spring is here, and that I am accepting and embracing with open, albeit jiggly, arms.

About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been penning a column for the OTC for over 20 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this.