Our #beYOUtiful campaign continues! We are enjoying your posts on Instagram, and feel so inspired by your ability to rise above and share exactly who you are. Today, we encourage you do to that powerfully and persistently. Here's a post from Molly explaining why power is an integral part of being #beYOUtiful:

I used to hear the word “powerful” and cringe. I would think of old men in politics, fighting over money, authority, business, etc. I thought of bankers, policemen, lawyers, world leaders, even olympic athletes. I thought of strong, loud men.

I did NOT identify with that in any way, shape or form.

In my mind, power was equal to greed, fighting, and egos battling it out. I didn’t care about being powerful.

My dream as a young girl was to just “be happy." This looked like opening a coffee shop on an island somewhere where I could surf and swim all day, be surrounded by nature, and make just enough money to survive. I didn’t care about money either.

You see, I was raised to be a nice girl. Be kind to others, let others go first, and do no harm. Pretty simple, moral standards if you ask me, but this later evolved into a disease that plagues millions of women everywhere and took over my entire life for years and years. You may be afflicted too—it’s called People Pleasing.

This ruled my life and slowly took all of my power away...power I didn’t even know I possessed:

The power to choose, to make a firm decision, for myself. The power to voice my own opinion, feelings, desires, and my needs even if other’s didn’t agree. The power to step into the highest version of myself that lies deep within (and ultimately learning what that even looked like). The power to take back control of my own health, relationships, happiness, and the path my life was leading me down.

So I went through life living out other people’s plans. Living behind a giant smile, positive attitude, and being someone everyone could depend on.  Behind closed doors, time and life were passing me by and it was fueling my anxiety and disordered eating. I was constantly battling each day trying every self help trick in the book in an attempt to remind myself that “I am okay, I am enough, I am worthy, I can get through this.”

The thing is, I had yet to acknowledge, tap into and regain my own personal POWER. It was a muscle that had atrophied so much that I didn’t even know it ever existed.

It wasn’t until I allowed myself to start dreaming again that I really discovered this concept of everyone possessing their own power within themselves. In conjunction with dreaming, I started learning more about what makes me who I am. I started to nourish and nurture my mind and body in ways I had never considered before. I started to incorporate mindful movement into my day. Exercising was no longer punishment, but fuel for my slow-growing fire and zest for life.  I began to use my voice, having conversations with my family, friends, coworkers, and even my husband about certain issues and things that were bothering me or grand ideas I had that lit me up inside.

I stopped avoiding the things that made me uncomfortable and started to face them head on. My confidence started to skyrocket. The potential I saw in myself, my ability, and what my future held, grew. My world and vision expanded so great that I actually stopped laughing at myself and started to take my dreams and goals seriously.

As a 30-year old today, the word "powerful" really strikes this beautiful chord in me.  When I look down at my Motivate Wrap and read “I am POWERFUL,” it makes me want to say “hell yes, I am!”.

Power is something that should be embraced. It's a muscle that needs to be exercised at any given opportunity. Power is grace, being decisive, authenticity, being a leader, using your voice, not being afraid to fail, and believing in yourself and your dream more than your own excuses or the opinions of others. I choose to believe we live in an abundant world full of love and opportunity, but I’ve also seen what happens when women don’t stand in their own personal power.

You don’t need to be loud or bossy. You don’t need brute strength, to play the stock market, have lots of money, be the CEO, have a fancy title, or step on people along the way to your success.

Your power is unique to you and looks different for everyone. I encourage you to embody this wonderful gift and start embracing yourself as the powerful woman you are and always have been!

And here at Momentum, we stand behind Molly and offer our encouragement as well. Shop our collection of #beYOUtiful Motivate Wraps, including our limited edition "I am..." Motivate Wraps. Download your free #beYOUtiful sign, and show the world what your power looks like. Tag @momentumjewelry, #momentumjewelry and #beYOUtiful on Instagram so we don't miss it!