SPARK Blog

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. 

We make our Motivate Wraps...we make all of our products...because we believe in you. Because we believe you need your own cheerleader. But most importantly, we make our products and stand behind our #beYOUtiful campaign because we believe your self-worth is the key that will release your inner power and ultimately influence those around you in a positive manner. Believe that you are worth everything that comes your way. Believe that you are worthy of that inner power. Rachel from Rachel Recharged explains this in a repost from last year's beYOUtiful blog article series:

This statement is a powerful one. It may even feel uncomfortable to read. The first time I wrote it on a post-it and taped it on my mirror at home, I cringed when I saw it. “Me? I’m worthy?” I am worthy. The more I said it out loud to myself, the more I started to believe it.

I am worthy of love.
I am worthy of success.
I am worthy of self care.
I am worthy of the good things that come to me.

We are worthy of so many things that we are so quick to believe are not for us. The more I said it to myself, the more I knew that I really am worthy. I am worth it.

When I started my own business, I jumped straight to fear: No one will want a part of what I’m creating. No one will see the worth in what I’m providing. Yet, the more I believed in myself, the more I exuded the confidence that I acquired as a business owner and my business began to grow. I allowed myself to step into a power that was waiting to be tapped into—all because I shifted a belief that was no longer serving me.

I consistently implemented the affirmations above into my life. They may seem cheesy to some, but for me, they have allowed me to grow, to create change, and to slowly transform into my best self. I used to have these affirmations on my mirror, but now I wear them on my wrist so I can constantly be reminded in any state of doubt that I. AM. WORTHY.

When I am in line with my passion, doing things that honor what I love to do, and showing up as my best self, I am worthy of receiving the gifts that life has to offer me!

I truly believe that when we follow our dreams and take care of ourselves, we are on our paths to acknowledging our true self worth. Self care has become a non-negotiable in my life. It doesn’t have to be the typical “self care activities” we think of like taking a bath, getting a massage, or doing a face mask. It can mean taking a breath before a big meeting, pausing for five minutes when something is bothering us, or taking ourselves our to dinner for a meal that will bring joy. It can even be the little things.

When we say yes to ourselves, that is self care.
That is self love. That is honoring your self worth.

And that, in essence, is the fire behind our #beYOUtiful campaign. Shop our collection of #beYOUtiful Motivate Wraps, and limited edition "I am..." Motivate Wraps like the one featured in this post. And then, download your free #beYOUtiful sign and show the world what you are. Tag @momentumjewelry, #momentumjewelry and #beYOUtiful on Instagram.