This post is sponsored by Under Armour and Fitfluential
Hello my name is Sarah and I am ______________
How would you fill in the blank? People are quick to call themselves many things: fat, lazy, ugly, stupid…but too often we hesitate calling ourselves that elusive “B” word: Beautiful. How many people do you know who would call themselves beautiful?
I was listening to the song “Hello, My Name Is” by Matthew West and Matthew talks about the things that we associate with ourselves (regret, defeat) but we need to start calling ourselves something else – hope, child of God, beautiful.
I believe that beauty is being, being yourself. Embracing the unique stamp of life that God poured over you before you were even born. When we try to become someone else, we rob the world of the unique gifts, talents, and abilities that we are created with to bless others. We forget our value when we try to squeeze us into a superficial mold we were not meant to fill. Is it easy to be the very best version of ourselves? Nope! It is always easier to copy someone else than to develop our own unique voice, but in the end the effort is always worth it.
Beauty is courage, determination, compassion, stepping outside your comfort zone, lending a hand.
Image source: http://www.businessinsider.com/two-schools-destroyed-by-oklahoma-tornadoes-2013-5
Beauty is risking your life for others
Image source: http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/national/tornadoes-level-homes-oklahoma-21-injured/nXwzq/
Beauty is comforting a friend in time of need
Beauty is determination and mental strength
I am honored to work with FitFluential and Under Armour to participating in and promote the What’s Beautiful Challenge! Under Armour has created a challenge to redefine the female athlete, to challenge participants to new heights by showing the world that they are beautiful in their own unique way. Stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone and set goals and go out and crush them!! The goals don’t have to be weight-related: you can create goals around mental will power, reaching a new PR, trying a new activity, whatever it is you want to reach for.
I am participating in the challenge, so you can join with me in completing challenges or you can simply follow along with me and see my goals, my progress, and the challenges that I complete. Here is one of my What’s Beautiful videos below. Watch my video below and check out my goals!
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero says
Great post. We are constantly shown so many images of what society thinks is beautiful that sometimes we forget to realize we are all beautiful in our own way, even if we don’t look like the models on the magazines.
FitBetty says
I completely agree! I think society has lost a sense of balance in this area – a balance between being healthy but still loving who you are. I hope that is something I can pass on to my kids 🙂
Tiffany @ The Tiffany Project says
What a great reminder, thank you! And I LOVE Matthew West! 🙂 Being overweight, I struggle a lot with saying I am beautiful (or letting anyone else say it to me). The funny/sad/ironic thing is, I really wanted to join in on this campaign, but I don’t feel like it’s inclusive to me at all BECAUSE of my weight — but maybe that’s exactly why I should have joined. Oh well. 🙂 Best of luck to you!!
FitBetty says
Thanks Tiffany! I think you would be awesome in the What’s Beautiful challenge, you can still join! I have always struggled with feeling inadequate and unworthy, and I am not entirely sure why. I have a hard time making friends because I often think “what do they see in me? I’m boring”. But I have been learning so much in the past year that God has made me with unique gifts whether I can see them or not. We all have an important place in this world, we just have to step out and find it 🙂
Marcia says
All the best with reaching your goal! Sorry things are tough right now. I’ve had the same injury. Get in the pool for pool running if possible. That’s what did the trick for me pre-Boston.
FitBetty says
Thank you Marcia! That is a great idea, too. It is getting much better, but still a bit tender. The physical therapist also thinks I might have sprained my ankle a bit, too. But, all in all, everything is getting better so I am excited to get started running again!
Alexandra Williams (@Alexandrafunfit) says
My name is Alexandra and I like your post!
FitBetty says
Thanks Alexandra! 😉