Have YOU ever felt like you’re not enough?

Have you ever felt like you're not enough?

Not smart enough, not beautiful enough, not qualified enough, not social enough, not confident enough… Have you ever felt like you’re not enough to be who you want to be or to have what you want to have?

Well my friend, you’re not alone.

As one of the first generations to grow up with social media, we are in a position that many older generations will never truly understand. They try very hard to sympathize, but they did not grow up in a culture where Snapchat streaks determine your best friends and the number of likes on Instagram quantify your popularity.

They did not grow up with the unspoken social expectation that you see your friends all day at school just so you can go home to see them online too. Not to mention, if you dared to show up to school without catching up on all the stories and posts, you might as well bid farewell to your social life and reputation.

I get it. I’m right there with you. I too, have grown up watching other people’s highlight reels. The beautiful candids, going out photos, smiling selfies, and dreamy vacation pics make it all too easy to compare them to myself. As a generation, we have created an unrealistic image of what we “should” be and if you’re anything like me, have aspired to the unattainable ideal of perfection. The straight A’s, perfect hair/makeup/outfits, the social circle, the university acceptance, etc. The list goes on for miles.

This ideal has caused paralyzing self-doubt and fear. I wouldn’t want to share anything that won’t be liked or accepted, and if you’re reading this, my guess is you can relate.

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Well, I’m calling BS. Enough of the highlight reel. Enough of the comparison. Enough of the self-doubt. Enough pretending to be perfect.

You don’t need to do that. Here, you don’t need to pretend to be anybody else or anything that you’re not. Because, “Nobody’s Perfect” - Hannah Montana. (Oh yes, I totally just quoted Hannah Montana.)

I want you to show up as you are, and I want to help you become the person you want to be. I want to empower you to be inspired, be healthy, and be better.

· You want to run a marathon? Go for it!

· You want to try a new workout? I got you.

· You want to get out of bed with a smile everyday? I’m going to be your biggest cheerleader.

Whatever better means for you, I want to help you get there. If you don’t know what better is for you, we are going to figure it out – TOGETHER. We are all a work in progress, and that is an amazing, beautiful thing.

This is a rally, a cry, and a march to a better future. This is a dream that each of us can own who we are and go after what we want. We’ve got one life, and there has never been a better time to make the most of it.

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You might be wondering, why is this site about fitness, yet she does not talk about fitness? To me, a big part of self-confidence is fitness. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that, to me, fitness isn’t a size, shape, or body ideal. Fitness is about having the confidence to own who you are – whatever that looks like. Exercise is very simple: find something you love and do it. Again, two things: Find something you love. Do it. That’s it.

So no, I won’t be sharing “10 ways to make your bum look bigger” or “30 days to get rock hard abs”. I am going to be sharing about all the other stuff. The stuff about doing hard things. The stuff about pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. The stuff about facing fear and embracing ambition. The stuff about owning who you are. The real stuff (and probably some weird stuff too).

Here’s the thing: I’m no expert, guru, or life-coach. I’m simply your friend Jess, who is trying to be better. I am trying to show up every day, trying to be healthy and happy, and also trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I have no idea where this blog will go, but I do know this:

I know that we can simultaneously be confident in our skin WHILE also striving to be better. We can change our habits. We can change our lives. We can find the confidence to share our true selves with the world, as we are today – and it all starts with one brave choice.

Today, I am choosing to share real stories, my tips, and other shenanigans and so we can figure out this self-confidence thing together. I am choosing to find bigger and better ways to share my messages because I believe wholeheartedly in what I post. I hope you chose to follow along, because above all else, I want us to do this together.

I hope I see you around here again soon!

Xoxo,

Jess

PS. While you’re here, please leave a comment or share this! It would be really nice to know that it’s not just my mom and my best friend reading this (love you both though).