Story

Hi friends!

It's quickly warming up here in Austin, Texas, but in the North and South Poles, icebergs float within freezing waters.

From above the water, it's difficult to see the depths of these huge pieces of ice. But they can easily reach 600 feet below the water's surface! An iceberg can hide so much of itself beneath the cold ocean, never giving a single sign to us that it's so much more than what can be seen on the surface.

I think many of us can relate to that; the feeling of exhaustion that comes from putting in so much work that many people won't ever see or understand, but being proud of it all the same. That's why the imagery of Beneath The Surface is so perfect. The snow-covered mountains and dark water conceal what lies beneath.

More To You Than Meets The Eye

Humans are complex, and not everyone will understand all the layers of you beyond what you've presented to the world. Others can see the success story, but all that came before is often hidden from view.

Working toward your goals requires commitment, resilience, and sacrifice, so how are outsiders supposed to know about all the things you've done to get where you are today? Well, they won't.

As I sit here writing this, you would have no idea of the hours I dedicated to my four-year college degree, the work I put in at my university's newspaper, the countless editorial classes I took to further my education, or even the copyediting certificate I earned. A lot of sweat and tears were endured to get to ZOX, to you. And yet, I'm still happy with every bit of my journey.

Your success is entirely for you to enjoy. When you look for validation from others to make your hard work worth it, you'll find yourself very disappointed. View your journey like the iceberg: what's beneath isn't any less impressive just because others can't see it.

How To Practice Self-Validation

When all your work has finally paid off, you shouldn't need anyone's recognition to feel proud! Let's make self-validation a habit.

Accept ALL of your feelings. It's completely natural to enjoy others' positive opinions of you. Who doesn't like a compliment? But I want you to recognize that it's okay to have that desire for positive feedback. And that it may take a while to learn how to process those comments in a way that doesn't make you reliant on them. You just need to ensure that your emotional state doesn't rest entirely on others' words.
Be mindful of your circumstance. Take a moment to reassess why you're looking for validation. Are you hoping someone will take notice of you because you've done something impressive? Or are you looking to prove your worth to everyone that doubted you? While these are totally valid feelings, they can't be to sole reason you've taken on your journey. If you have found yourself in that mindset, take some time to dig deeper and find what truly drives you to accomplish your goals.
Adjust your behavior. There are a couple of ways you can actively work toward providing your own validation. Start by being kind to yourself. Self-love can give you the confidence to enjoy your success all on your own. Then, acknowledge your own efforts. When you look back at your journey, take note of the challenges you've overcome. Be in awe of yourself! Lastly, be encouraging. Changing your mindset takes time, so don't skip out on offering yourself some encouragement!

Feeling validated yet? It might take some practice, but I know you can do it! Just remember that your successes are just as valid no matter who celebrates them along with you.

The incredible artist behind this strap design is Jennifer Nichols, and she created it with such a beautiful message in mind. Here's what she had to say about failure, success, and all the work that happens in between:

The concept of this strap came from a desire to create a reminder that we are each capable of so much more than we sometimes believe. We are flooded (thanks, social media!) with the accomplishments of others, and it can be so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of forgetting how much effort goes into those achievements behind the scenes. We can forget just how CAPABLE we truly are!

Fear of failure can be paralyzing, for sure, but it can be overcome with the right mindset…and plan! Failure happens, and THAT IS OKAY. Everybody stumbles on the way to their goals. Yes, that means that even those super successful people who seem to have mastered their domain will sometimes face setbacks. They got where they are because they kept getting up and moving forward whenever they fell.

I hope that wearing this strap helps people through the tougher days. When someone glances at their wrist, I hope that they are reminded that every sacrifice, obstacle, and risk takes them closer to success. I want the vision of their goals to give them enough resolve to persevere when challenges stack up around them. And when they ‘make it’, I want this strap to be a token of celebration and acknowledgment of how amazing that achievement is!

Whether you've made it to the finish line or still face obstacles ahead in your journey to success, this design can help you recognize the amazing steps you've already taken. You deserve to enjoy your success! Look down on this strap and remember that you and an iceberg might just have a few things in common.

Talk soon,

Camryn

Hi friends!

It's quickly warming up here in Austin, Texas, but in the North and South Poles, icebergs float within freezing waters.

Hi friends!

It's quickly warming up here in Austin, Texas, but in the North and South Poles, icebergs float within freezing waters.

Hi friends!

It's quickly warming up here in Austin, Texas, but in the North and South Poles, icebergs float within freezing waters.

More To You Than Meets The Eye

Working toward your goals requires commitment, resilience, and sacrifice, so how are outsiders supposed to know about all the things you've done to get where you are today? Well, they won't.

Your success is entirely for you to enjoy. When you look for validation from others

How To Practice Self-Validation

When all your work has finally paid off, you shouldn't need anyone's recognition to feel proud! Let's make self-validation a habit.

Accept ALL of your feelings. It's completely natural to enjoy others' positive opinions of you. Who doesn't like a compliment? But I want you to recognize that it's okay to have that desire for positive feedback. And that it may take a while to learn how to process those comments in a way that doesn't make you reliant on them. You just need to ensure that your emotional state doesn't rest entirely on others' words.
Be mindful of your circumstance. Take a moment to reassess why you're looking for validation. Are you hoping someone will take notice of you because you've done something impressive? Or are you looking to prove your worth to everyone that doubted you? While these are totally valid feelings, they can't be the sole reason you've taken on your journey. If you have found yourself in that mindset, take some time to dig deeper and find what truly drives you to accomplish your goals.
Adjust your behavior. There are a couple of ways you can actively work toward providing your own validation. Start by being kind to yourself. Self-love can give you the confidence to enjoy your success all on your own. Then, acknowledge your own efforts. When you look back at your journey, take note of the challenges you've overcome. Be in awe of yourself! Lastly, be encouraging. Changing your mindset takes time, so don't skip out on offering yourself some encouragement!

Feeling validated yet? It might take some practice, but I know you can do it! Just remember that your successes are just as valid no matter who celebrates them along with you.

Working toward your goals requires commitment, resilience, and sacrifice, so how are outsiders supposed to know about all the things you've done to get where you are today? Well, they won't.

When all your work has finally paid off, you shouldn't need anyone's recognition to feel proud! Let's make self-validation a habit.

Accept ALL of your feelings. It's completely natural to enjoy others' positive opinions of you. Who doesn't like a compliment? But I want you to recognize that it's okay to have that desire for positive feedback. And that it may take a while to learn how to process those comments in a way that doesn't make you reliant on them. You just need to ensure that your emotional state doesn't rest entirely on others' words.
Be mindful of your circumstance. Take a moment to reassess why you're looking for validation. Are you hoping someone will take notice of you because you've done something impressive? Or are you looking to prove your worth to everyone that doubted you? While these are totally valid feelings, they can't be to sole reason you've taken on your journey. If you have found yourself in that mindset, take some time to dig deeper and find what truly drives you to accomplish your goals.
Adjust your behavior. There are a couple of ways you can actively work toward providing your own validation. Start by being kind to yourself. Self-love can give you the confidence to enjoy your success all on your own. Then, acknowledge your own efforts. When you look back at your journey, take note of the challenges you've overcome. Be in awe of yourself! Lastly, be encouraging. Changing your mindset takes time, so don't skip out on offering yourself some encouragement!

Feeling validated yet? It might take some practice, but I know you can do it! Just remember that your successes are just as valid no matter who celebrates them along with you.

Working toward your goals requires commitment, resilience, and sacrifice, so how are outsiders supposed to know about all the things you've done to get where you are today? Well, they won't.

Artist

Jennifer Nichols

Beneath the Surface

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