IN AWE OF SARAH
Sarah is on a mission to inspire other to life their happiest, healthiest, and most badass lives from the inside out. Her belief is crystal clear -- at any age,size, or weight - and no matter how you feel you "messed up" in the past -- each day is a chance to create a life that fuels you and brings joy. And she has a few rules:
- If you want to make a change in your life, do it from a place of massive self-love.
- Show up for your own life and show up for others; this is how we create the good stuff.
- "Health" does not determine self-worth.
This judgment-free, radically honest and compassionate approach to blogging has amassed Sarah a massive following of individuals eager to learn what self-love looks like to them. She runs size-inclusive events for women, and is wickedly dedicated to bringing body diversity to the wellness industry.
IN HER WORDS
"I stand, you stand... and together, we rise the f*ck up."
"Life is meant to be lived. It is beautiful, messy, and colorful. It is our job to show up, live authentically, and spread the Love in whatever way we can."
"I don't care what you ate, what you weigh, or what you did last night -- every morning you wake up is an opportunity for you to grow closer to being the person you know you truly are inside; life is growth and growth is life."
ABOUT SARAH
Self-love mentor || Wellness Advocate || Storyteller || Influencer || Creator of the Body Love Workshop, a size-inclusive event for women || Founder of Rise Up With Sarah || Writer || Speaker
MY STORY
In June of 2015, I sat across from my mom in the hospital while I was holding my cell phone in my hand; my father was in a different hospital a few states away at the exact same time. At nearly 360 lbs, I was unable to walk the single city block from the garage to her bedside without stopping in pain. That was the moment I knew I was going to die... but even more than that? I realized I was in the passenger seat of my own life, watching it go by. Feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. I wondered "wtf am I doing with myself?" I was a total workaholic, anxiety was my best friend, and I was strangling my personal relationships before they even began.
There was a lot I didn't know; I was so scared at the idea of doing something different with my life, almost paralyzed by the mountain of change I knew I was standing next to. So I decided I didn't have to be perfect, I didn't have to doit all. I just had to find small acts of self-love that would honor me. I had to find a way to #BeGreater every day.
Driven by nothing but blind faith and the unfaltering belief that I was worthy of feeling happier in my own life, I knew one thing -- if I was feeling this scared and crappy, that other women were as well. So I decided to talk about what it really looks like to stare fear in the eye and take control of your own life.
No glossy "before and after" pictures. No judgments. Authentic conversation. Compassion. Humor. I would settle for nothing less! And slowly but surely, I started to get really comfortable being uncomfortable. Because that's how we grow -- by sitting in our own stuff and being willing to look at it with brutal and beautiful honesty.
By sharing my journey, it was clear that other women were feeling the same and looking for something to connect to. Not a fast diet, not a slick sales pitch.Just the hope that we can love our life more if we do the hard work and show up, every day, in hundreds of unglamorous ways.
These days, my biggest passion is creating a safe space for women to look at THEIR life. If I can show one woman that she is not alone in her pain, if I can show her that she can ditch her coping mechanisms and stop using food or sex or shopping to ease the anxiety and fear --- if I can show her she isn't broken and that she is enough just as she is, then I have done my job.
I create community on and offline, through social media and conversation, and now with size-inclusive events for women focusing on self-love and, in the future, fitness and wellness for all.
My motto "I stand, you stand... and together we rise the f*ck up" is about bringing women together. Ditch the body judgment. Ditch the fear. Be willing to see what we have in common. Give love often and vulnerably. Be real. Bring people along in the journey with you. Rise the f*ck up for your own life!
CHANGE IS CHANGE
Reminder. Change is change. Regardless if you are moving, going through a breakup, starting a new job, experiencing a struggle that is causing you to feel caught up in CHANGE... this is my reminder to you.
- Eat food and drink water. Yeah, this sounds like a silly reminder, but I'm saying it just the same. Don't obsess about it, but remember that your body is deserving of fuel, and that you need fuel to function.
- Breathe. If you are an anxious person (*cough like me*) then change can physically affect your body. You get tense and feel like you are grasping for things. Chances are, your breath is shallow and fast. Slow it down... breathing can change the entire energy of your body.
- Ask for help. You deserve it. Never be ashamed to let others know their help is needed. Order takeout and get company while you clean your closet put... budget a tiny bit more and get some movers to help you pack for you... send out a group text and say "peeps, I love you all and I need help!" Give people a chance. They want to love you. You are not an island...
- Adjust your expectations. Know that stuff is going to happen. Know that everything won't be perfect. Know there will be bumps. None of this is a reflection of you. None of this makes you any less worthy, or means you have failed. It is logistics and circumstance.
Here's the thing. We all go through hard stuff. These aren’t earth shattering self-care truth bombs but I am sharing them with you to remind you that we are ALL HUMAN AND WE ALL FEEL HARD STUFF. If you are going through a challenge or change right now... you aren't alone. I see you. Hang in there.
TODAY IS A NEW DAY
Where is your path taking YOU today? Are you revisiting the same streets, the same stores, the same neighborhood you always travel? Or are you finding new roads to put your sneakers on? Both are beautiful! How can you SEE something differently? The journey isn't in the location or distance, but what we allow ourselves to learn in the process. Stop and pause today. Is there something you can be grateful for that you never stopped to be thankful for? Is there part of your body you can appreciate because it’s doing its job, and that job helps you to live? Sometimes it helps to get really basic. Today, I am grateful for my legs because they help me move. Today, I am thankful for my arms that left me hug my partner. Today, I am thankful for my belly that holds food or my mouth for its smile. Just... find a way to quietly appreciate something today. That’s my hope for you. Have a beautiful day!
CONNECT WITH SARAH