Disclosure: The following content has been sponsored by State Farm®.
Nerd. Dork. Cheesy. Quirky. Funny. Awkward. These were all ways I would describe myself growing up. The difference is back then I saw them as negatives. They were the things I saw wrong with myself and felt I needed to change in order to fit in. Now, I have learned that to be who I wanna be is all I need to be. Now these words are the ones I embrace and treasure because they make me who I am. This confidence wasn’t something I came by easily, but oh now that I’m here I couldn’t be happier!
I Was Miserable
Growing up I had the normal ups and downs of childhood, but looking back I can see that a lot of them were of my own doing. I took it upon myself to try and get rid of what I thought were the bad qualities I had simply to try and fit in with those around me. I wanted to be who they wanted me to be and who they would accept and I thought it meant letting go of me. I must admit I became a bit of a pro at fitting in. I could even describe myself as a chameleon. I would change my speech, my look and even my likes simply to fit in with the people I thought I needed to be happy. Yet once I got there, the happiness never seemed to come. I was miserable. I had to work so hard to keep up the facade of being all they thought was acceptable that I almost forgot who I really was.
What About Me?
That’s right. I was so busy pleasing others I nearly forgot to please myself. I had to actually take a step back – and away – from the people I had sought to please and figure out why I wasn’t happy. I mean I’d gotten what I wanted, right? I wanted to ‘fit in‘ and be a part of their circles, so why then— even though I was there— why wasn’t I happy? They were all happy, which was great, but I wasn’t feeling fulfilled or even liked by them or more importantly myself. I stopped and asked myself – what about me? What did I want to do, be, say, like, wear…etc.? I lost myself in the process of fitting in and I was ready to make a change.
Who I Wanna Be
I decided that I needed to track down that girl I used to be and find out how she fit in with who I wanna be for me. I found her. All the quirky, nerdy and awkwardness she had and I held on tight. She was me! After all this time – I was half-way through my 30s – I was okay with being just that. I was a wife, mom and friend but along the way I forgot to be all of that plus who I wanna be. No more. There was room for it all. I was done trying to conform and change myself to fit the models of what others wanted from me. I finally reached that place where my happiness actually mattered. I had found my own groove in life. I loved my family and friends but I understood now that if they loved me, then they would love the real me – no matter what.
A New Confidence
I had a new confidence. It was okay to be that nerd girl, funny, awkward, cheesy, dorky…all of it. It was okay and it was me. I learned to embrace her, celebrate her and support her. Learning who I was has brought me to a place in my life where I never thought I would be. I was once a person who would not do anything without someone else there, but have learned to enjoy my own company. I have taken part in The Color Run for the 2nd time, and have attended Blog Conferences states away from home on my own! These are accomplishments I know would have never been possible without the confidence I found to be exactly who I wanna be.
Show Off Your Groove
Sometimes finding that confidence can be a journey with many paths. I know that for me music played a major role in that and there were days when simply getting my groove on helped me get through. State Farm wants you to turn on some music, get up off your feet and show them your #StateFarmGroove on Instagram to WIN an amazing chance to attend the 2015 ESSENCE Festival® in New Orleans! HURRY! ENTRIES ARE DUE JUNE 15!
How to Enter: 1. Instagram a photo or video of your best dance moves using both hashtags #StateFarmGroove & #ContestEntry 2. Must go to st8.fm/SFGroove and click “Connect to Enter” to confirm your submission.
One Winner Will Receive…
- Round-trip coach airfare for winner and one (1) guest to New Orleans
- Four (4) nights, five (5) days hotel accommodations in New Orleans
- Two (2) tickets per night to the ESSENCE Festival® concerts in New Orleans
- Two (2) VIP Experience tickets (tickets to various VIP events provided by the ESSENCE Festival®)
- Transportation to and from the New Orleans, LA, airport
- The winner will appear in an ESSENCE and State Farm video on ESSENCE.com
That’s right grab that camera, phone, or whatever and capture yourself showing off your best #StateFarmGroove then share your #ContestEntry HERE st8.fm/SFGroove for your chance to attend the 2015 ESSENCE Festival® in New Orleans!
Disclosure: I received compensation for this sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of State Farm.
“Believe in yourself, your passions, and your dreams. Your voice is unique – build on that. Embrace what is different about you and make it your greatest asset!”
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