Black Denim Jeans (run TTS) // Pink Teddy Coat // Black Tshirt // White Boots (size up ½ size) // Similar Crossbody Bag
When Stage Stores reached out to me to partner with them for their Pink October campaign I jumped at the opportunity. They asked me to share a little bit about what inspires me and how I stay motivated. I feel an enormous amount of responsibility when it comes to discussing these types of topics because I want to deliver premium content with substance that hopefully, you can learn something from. So in today’s post, I’ll be sharing my #ipinkican journey on how I continue to stay inspired. I would love for all of you to join me by sharing your #ipinkican moment on social media too. For every post on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag in the month of October, Stage will donate $1.00 to support Breast Cancer Research Foundation (up to $25,000).
Now let’s get to it! The past few months I’ve put aside some time (read: while sitting in traffic because that’s the only time I am still) where I can really reflect on where I am, where I want to be, and how I am going to get there. Now these goals that I have aren’t necessarily quantifiable as much as they have to do with personal growth. You can’t put a number or dollar sign on peace of mind, confidence, self-love, and the hard work it takes to get there. This is a journey I am on every day. I find a lot of answers and peace of mind in the instructor’s words of my spin classes, the pages of books, in prayer, and in listening to positive affirmation meditations. One day earlier this year while I was seeking out sources of positivity, I realized that I was surrounding myself with positivity but I wasn’t absorbing it. I wasn’t believing it to be true for myself. I wasn’t saying these things to myself. Once I made this realization, I started saying three positive affirmations to myself in the mirror in the morning to try to turn this positivity inwards. We get so caught up in what everyone else looks like, what bag they are carrying this season, and what we don’t have. But we have it all wrong when we think this way because we are cheating ourselves out of acknowledging all the wonderful gifts and attributes that are unique to ourselves that we bring to this world. When it dawned on me that I wasn’t giving myself as much love or appreciation as I deserved and instead focussing on all that I needed to do to get to where I wanted to be in my career (because I am so Type A, workaholic, goal driven) so I decided to change that! It’s made a huge difference mentally by honestly just giving myself little compliments. It might seem silly, but ask yourself the last time you thought to yourself “wow you did a really good job on that presentation” or “you gave that workout all you had even though you didn’t want to show up” or even just a simple “you are beautiful!”. Stop right now and give yourself some credit for something you’ve done or something that you are! We spend a lot of time complimenting other people on social media (this is good, don’t stop!) but we need to make sure we are turning that same positivity inward onto ourselves instead of getting caught up in comparison.
Something I remind myself, my “mantra” if you will, is…
“Be unapologetic about who you are and the value that you add to this world.”
This is my phone background because it is just so important and the theme of this whole journey I am on. You are you and that is something that no one else can be and no one can take that away from you. It is so important that we don’t try to be someone else because YOU are special! You were put on this earth for a unique purpose so it’s best not to get caught up trying to put yourself in a box or try to be someone else.
I encourage you to be who you want to be and to embrace it. Use it to get you where you want to be! It is also important to surround yourself with positivity, which is where I started. Find those things that you can derive positivity and support from to lift you up on this journey. I find that I gain a lot of positivity from words. Whether that be quotes on Instagram or in the message of a book. One of my favorite Instagram accounts for positive quotes is @morganharpernichols! I also love @paytonsartain and @daniellecarolan as they are always lifting others up and leading by example.
I find peace in my daily reminder that I am the only me on this earth and that is special. But also in the fact that my story is just beginning and it’s only onward and upward from here. So if you are at the start of your journey it’s never too late to learn, to grow…
I hope you enjoyed today’s post. I’ve had requests in the past to cover some of these personal growth topics that I’ve touched on today. I would love to hear your feedback and ways that you bring positivity into your own life!
A big thank you to Stage Stores for partnering with me on today’s post, encouraging me to start this conversation, and most importantly for supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation this October! Find out more information about Pink October at Stage.com/IPINKICAN.
Xo Sara
THIS POST WAS SPONSORED BY SPECIALTY RETAILERS, INC.
