SPARK Blog — guest post

Today, we're reposting a beautiful and touching article from Ambassador Tanya. It looks back on the #beYOUtiful campaign of previous years and the importance of promoting the concept that all of us are filled with undeniable beauty: 

What does it mean to be beautiful? It’s such a simple word, but it can take on so much meaning. It can make someone smile, or it can make you view the simplest things from a fresh perspective. Everyone sees beauty differently...it’s what makes us all unique. In the eyes of a young girl or teenager, it can mean everything. Once you become a mother to a girl yourself, it often takes on an even greater amount  of significance.

I was 24 when I became the mother to a wonderful little girl named Caitlin. As a first time mom, I was full of all the usual doubts and insecurities any parent has. Am I doing this correctly? Will she grow up having the same self-image issues as me? Will she understand how much she’s truly loved and just how beautiful she really is? As any parent will testify, the role isn’t easy and it will often test you in many ways. Children do not come with an instruction manual, although it sure would help sometimes!

High school was not the easiest time for me. I had a few friends, but I was never what was considered to be popular. Growing up as an only child meant that I never had the benefits of a sister to help with my self-esteem. My relationship with my parents was far from perfect. It was often strained, and looking back, I grew up being much closer to my father than my mother. 

As Caitlin continued to get older and finally entered high school herself, some of my old insecurities resurfaced, this time not for me, but for her. As a parent, you want your child to fit in, to have as many friends as possible, and most importantly, to never lose their own self-worth. I feared there would be a day when she came home in tears, upset over a name she was called in class or over a crush that deemed her to be something, anything, less than beautiful. Thankfully, my little girl grew into a smart, strong, beautiful woman. Being in charge of another human being can be a scary thing, but it can also lead to a lifetime of amazing moments.

My daughter will be 20 soon, and like any parent-child relationship, we’ve certainly had our own struggles over the years. As she progresses through her current life in college, and I watch her continue to assert her own independence in this world, I’m reminded every day of how proud she makes me. 

I discovered Momentum Jewelry a couple of years ago, and was instantly smitten. Who knew that these tiny little sayings could give me so much motivation and empowerment? They quickly became a daily staple in my life, whether I was out running or just casually trying to get through a typical Monday. In the Fall of 2017, the beYOUtiful campaign launched and it instantly spoke volumes to me on a truly personal level. I gave my daughter a “BeYOUtiful” and “you are enough” Motivate Wrap to help remind her that she was truly beautiful and certainly more than enough.

I wanted her to be able to look down at her wrist and see these reminders no matter where she was or what she was struggling to get through. Whether she was sitting right next to me or 1,000 miles away attending grad school, I wanted her to feel like a piece of me was always with her.

I wanted her to forever know that yes, in the simplest of terms, she is beautiful. 

And we want you to know that you are beautiful, too. Remember this...always...even when events like our #beYOUtiful campaign are long done and over with. The notion that you are worth it is timeless. 

There are still a few more days to be part of this year's #beYOUtiful campaign!  Download your free BE YOUtiful poster and snap YOUR #beYOUtiful pic.  Post and share to help spread this important message! 

When we talk about our #beYOUtiful campaign, we talk about harnessing our own power. We've heard a lot about this from some of our previous guest bloggers. And yes, we'll agree with you: Finding your own power is often easier said than done...but you just have to believe, and change your dialogue. In a repost from last year's #beYOUtiful article series, we'll let Nina explain this:

Maya Angelou once said, “if a human being dares to be bigger than the condition into which she or he was born, it means so can you. And so you can try to stretch, stretch, stretch yourself…”

What would the world look like if we all stepped into our power? Our greatness. Our purpose. Our truth. Our light. Our essence. To me, these are all the same. Do you want to know something? We already have our greatness in us. We are born with it. Somewhere between birth and adulthood, we lose sight of our power because of other people's words, other people's perception of us, other people's opinions. Their words speak so loudly in our minds that we have to learn or re-learn what our power is in order to shine that light on the world.

I used to be filled with what I call a ticker tape of self-doubt. Not a moment would go by without harsh, negative words running across my mind. Any time I made a decision, I was filled with anxiety. Any thought I had was tied to another judgmental thought. It took years of living in San Diego, under the sun and stars and palm trees to observe and learn about myself—and come to know and value myself. Here is what I learned: If you practice sitting in stillness and listen, eventually and over time, your own voice...your inner wisdom will tell you the truth of who you are.

Once you learn the truth about who you are and what you can give to the world, your purpose, your power, your voice is limitless and infinite. How do you learn this truth? First, you have to listen to the words you speak to yourself and about yourself. Too often we fill our minds with limiting beliefs. We lean into self doubt and nurture it with judgement as if all the words that have been spoken to us about ourselves are true.

They are not all true!

The truth of who we are lies only in who we know ourselves to be, who we know we want to be, and the many intentional steps we take everyday to get us there!

There is hope. We must reframe the stories and words in order to see ourselves in our true light again. How do we do this? Here are some tips you can start doing today to change the words and the way we speak to ourselves and step into your power:

1) Notice how you speak to yourself. Do you speak to yourself in harsh and judgmental words and tones? If the answer is "yes," think of a person in your life who supports and cheers you on the most. How would that person speak to you? Would they use degrading language? Or would they uplift you and cheer you on? Start by speaking to yourself this way.

2) If something negative comes up in your mind, pause. Ask yourself, "is this serving me?". If the answer is "no," repeat Step 1.

3) Know that your words matter. A part of changing the narrative in our mind is changing how we treat others. We can speak to others in kind and respectful tones even when, and especially when, we disagree with them.

4) Be patient with yourself. Progress does not come overnight. Do the work and treat yourself with the love and patience you show other people. 

5) Speak positively to yourself.  Use words of empowerment and encouragement, even if you don't believe them yet.

Ultimately, seek what you want from your life and eventually the running thoughts will be replaced with a calm mind. Here's what I said to myself. Feel free to speak this to yourself (or change it to suit you). Know that I am rooting for you:

I am grateful.
I am more than enough.
I am intuitive and courageous.
I am strong beyond what I even know.
There are dreams on the other side of this struggle that are waiting for me.
I am coming for them.

Those dreams are definitely waiting for you, and we're here to help you achieve them. Pick up one of our #beYOUtiful Motivate Wraps, or one of our new limited edition "I am..." Motivate Wraps. Each wrap in these two collections is on sale this week only. You can also download your free #beYOUtiful sign. Snap a pictures and share it on Instagram. Tag @momentumjewelry, #momentumjewelry and #beYOUtiful so we can support your efforts to achieve great power!

There is still a week left to join the #beYOUtiful campaign, and to shop #beYOUtiful Motivate Wraps and limited edition "I am..." Motivate Wraps that are on sale. There is also plenty of time for you to embrace the concept of self-care.  We'll let Jess of Form in Focus explain how self-care is more than bubble baths and massages, in this repost from last year's blog series:

I lace up my shoes and head out the door into the crisp fall morning air. It’s a tough tempo workout and the negative thoughts threaten to creep in. Can I do this? Am I fast enough? What if I can’t hit the right paces? I look down. “I am worthy,” reads the wrap on my wrist. And I make the purposeful effort to redirect my thoughts. I am worthy of the effort needed for this tempo work. I am worthy of success, both in this run and in my life as a whole.

What kind of worth do you place on your own self? Without realizing it, we place value on everything we do in life, a priority list, if you will. How far down that list do you have to go before you list yourself?

I wear the words “I am worthy” as a reminder of the years it took to get to this point. To the point of recognition and acceptance that self-love is a continuous journey and I am worth the effort.

I could talk about an infinite number of ways that we are each worthy, but the one that I struggle with the most is being worthy of my own time, of self-care. I used to struggle with being a perfectionist...let’s be real, I still struggle with being a perfectionist. And that meant focusing on crossing things off a to-do list every day, seeking that small dopamine rush every time a check mark was placed next to a task. Do you know how often an action related to self-care was placed on that list? Never.

Now I make time for myself daily. But I want to clarify what that self-care looks like. It’s not bubble baths, buying myself big bouquets of flowers and chocolates, nor is it regular facials. Self-care is taking a step back and breathing. Self-care is in the small things. It is ten minutes of journaling, reading a novel for a half hour before bed, folding the three loads of laundry from five days ago, or meal prepping for the week. Self-care is doing what is necessary to reconnect with yourself and knowing that you are worthy of the time spent. Self-care can be saying no to social obligations, to stressful family situations, or having a hard conversation with a friend that you’ve been putting off. You are worth the care needed to be healthy, in body and in mind.

I still have my to-do lists and I still get a little thrill as each item is crossed off, because some things you just can’t change. But now each morning is started with 15 minutes of time for me. That’s usually sipping a cup of coffee and journaling, but it can also be the not very pretty things in life.

Know your worth. Take the time for self-care.

The point is this: You are a priority. You are worth showing up for yourself. Every. Single. Day. You are worth the consistency, effort, and LOVE needed to pursue your dreams. You are infinitely worthy of the biggest dreams in the universe. You are worthy of the love you give yourself as well as the love you receive from others. I think the band The 1975 said it perfectly, “Why don’t you give yourself a try?” 

Join us in celebrating our #beYOUtiful campaign. Because when we celebrate this campaign, we ultimately celebrate you. And that's what self-care is all about. Download your free #beYOUtiful poster here and show the world your true self. Tag @momentumjewelry on Instagram, and use #momentumjewelry and #beYOUtiful. We can't wait to see you.

Our BE YOUtiful campaign encourages everyone everywhere to reclaim the beauty and power within. We are reposting our series of inspirational blog articles with a BE YOUtiful message from previous years, to give you a chance to discover these wonderful messages again!   Here's one from Jennifer Langhans, a group fitness instructor full of body positivity.

"If only she could lose 10 pounds, she would be so pretty."

That one statement pretty much sums up my life. I've always been the chunky Italian girl. I was raised in a loving family, but overheard that comment repeatedly. I was never brave enough to try team sports, preferring the comfort and safety of books. Reading was my escape, and I embraced my role as an introverted intellectual. As such, it was acceptable to not be fit. I went on to get my Master's in English, and I lived the life of an academic. Fast forward ten years—plus three boys, multiple moves, career and physical changes—I felt like a different person. 

We recently moved to a very active, physically fit community and I decided to join our local YMCA. I stepped into my very first group fitness class, and I was scared. I felt out of place among the blonde "supermodels" with perfectly sculpted muscles, but this curly haired hot mess was drawn to it. I loved it, and I kept coming back. 

I was completely uncomfortable, but this class became the highlight of my week. While I was rocking out in the back row, I saw them—the others. The self-conscious, shy, frustrated, and overweight others. Some of them would sneak out and never return. I tried to be helpful and encouraging, but it wasn't enough. This is when I decided to really step outside of my comfort zone. 

I decided to get certified. I wanted to teach group fitness classes.

After I recovered from the initial high of my decision, the reality of this leap set in. It was still me, I'm the book smart one. Who would take a class taught by a chunky fitness instructor? "No one," I said to myself.

The most important words are those that we speak to ourselves, so the self-doubt set in. I sat on my first certification for almost a year, held back by a cloud of negative thoughts. And then I remembered why I got it. My goal was to help others like me. People who weren't looking for perfection, but understand the importance of physical fitness.

"If only I could lose weight, I'd make a great fitness instructor." 

That pesky statement made its way back into my life, but I made the decision to be me...to be happy, and hope that my positive energy would be contagious.

Our inner stream of consciousness drives us to make all of our decisions. As a society, we are becoming more aware of and embracing all body types. The media is flooded with body positive campaigns, but we need to find a way to get through our own hard heads and believe them. We tend to fall into a "great for her, but it would never work for me" mentality—but we need to quite our inner doubts so we an embrace our true passions.

Truth be told, there's no easy way to overcome our own negative body issues. I'm a work in progress every day, but I move forward. We all need to move forward. Here are three super helpful ways:

Three Ways to Overcome Negative Body Issues

1) Realize that haters are just going to hate. This is out of your control, so just let it go. You will never appeal to everybody, so don't even try. Focus your time and talents on being you—the real you. Not who you think others want you to be.

2) Read personal development books. Yes, they can be fluffy. And life isn't always that perfect, but they can help you grow. Let them feed you ways to help you overcome your weaknesses.

3) Surround yourself with positive energy. Momentum motivate wraps, mugs, Instagram posts, shirts...find places to project positive messages so when you fall into self-doubt, there will be a simple reminder ready to lift you back up again.

I'm still new to the fitness industry. I'm still a thick-but-fit instructor in a skinny fit world, but I've found my happy place. My classes are packed with front row divas and new-to-fitness moms with one thing in common—they are there to better themselves in a positive, encouraging environment that I have worked hard to create. I want all of my students to leave feeling strong, empowered, and ready to chase their dreams regardless of their pants size.

Sometimes I tell my class to look in the mirror. I want them to see themselves lifting the weight, rocking the plank or doing pushups on their toes. I want them to see their strength and take it with them outside the gym. I want you to look in the mirror, too. 

Remember, your inner dialogue controls what you believe. Don't let it pick a negative  path. Instead, let it provide the grace of body acceptance. Be you, and be happy.

Download your free BE YOUtiful poster and help us show the world what it means to overcome negative body issues.  Post and share to help spread this important message! 

In case you forgot, and it's clearly worth mentioning a million times, we want you to be fearless. It's what our #beYOUtiful campaign is all about. Being unapologetically, unafraid you. In this repost from last year's #beYOUtiful blog article series, we'll let Jenny Schatzle tell you more:

Do you know what FEAR stands for?

Forget Everything And Run.

Do you know where we run when we get fearful? We run back to what is comfortable, back to what we know is safe because fear is scary. Think about how many times you didn’t go after an opportunity because you were scared it wouldn’t work out. Maybe you didn’t ask for the raise at work because the thought of someone telling you "no" paralyzed you. How about relationships. Have you ever stayed in a toxic relationship both friend or intimate because the thought of leaving was scarier than staying? Or, how about a workout. How many times have we said "no" to a new workout because the voice in our head said that we wouldn’t be able to keep up?

How many times have we let the story in our head convince us that it feels better to be comfortable than it does to go after it? Fearless doesn’t have to mean quitting your job and moving off the grid. It doesn't have to be this grandiose gesture to prove you are powerful. It means standing up to the fear and the negative voice in our own heads that tells us we can’t do it. Fearless means you no longer run back to what is comfortable and away from the unknown. Instead, you run towards it.

Think about all the ways in which you want to change your life, yet the thought of it is overwhelming. Being fearless means taking little steps everyday towards being the best version of you. It’s those little everyday steps that eventually add up and create the big life change.

Fearless means saying "yes" to new opportunities even though they scare you. It’s about asking for what you want in this world. It means trying the new workout class you’ve been thinking about for a year ,or signing up for the 5K you never thought you could do. It means asking for what you want at work and at home, and starting the conversation with bosses and spouses and friends. It means drawing more boundaries around your time and self-worth within your relationships.

Fearless is about YOU being true to you and not allowing that negative voice to take over your actions. Whenever that fear sets in and you want to run back to what is comfortable, try this: Tell that negative voice in your head "not today!", and take a small step in the right direction. That, in my book, is FEARLESS.

Are you fearless? We think so. Show it to the world by downloading our free #beYOUtiful sign. Post it on Instagram and tag @momentumjewelry, #momentumjewelry and #beYOUtiful. Plus, shop our collection of #beYOUtiful Motivate Wraps and limited edition "I am..." Motivate Wraps.