Be-YOU-tiful {Confidence}

As a fellow member of the female population, I am here to be the first one to tell you that I have, and still, struggle with feeling confident in who I am. I doubt and discredit myself daily. Confidence comes in ups and downs. Some days it seems like I just don't have it in me to accomplish my goals, reach my dreams, or even make it through the day. While other days, with the right outfit and a good hair day, I feel like Beyonce..... Can anyone relate?

See, the thing is, most of us girls measure our self-worth by comparing ourselves to other people. Whether she is more successful, smarter, prettier, has a better personality, has a "perfect" relationship, gets more likes on social media, goes to a "better" school, and the list could go on for days. We discredit ourself: our own abilities, ideas, talents, passions... the things that makes us who we are. Our own individuality. It is so incredibly easy to feel like we don't measure up. I know personally this has always been a struggle for me. "Comparison is the thief of joy". True statement. But comparison is also the thief of confidence, self-worth, and ultimately, individuality. 

The problem is that we base our own worth off of the approval of other people. Even if we don't like to admit it. We post a picture on Instagram and don't feel good about ourselves unless we get at least 100 likes... and we scroll through the "likers" ten times to see who approves of it. Filter, edit, crop. We take and retake a picture because we feel ugly and wouldn't dare let someone see us on social media when our faces are bare and hair is a mess. 

But, in reality, our individuality is beautiful. Being unique is an adventure. It makes life interesting and exciting. Different goals, passions, talents, and ideas are useful and absolutely necessary. Our differences makes us who we are and we should embrace them and learn to {l o v e} ourselves rather than beat ourselves up. 

This post is for everyone who is struggling with not feeling good enough. I know it's hard when we constantly compare ourselves to others and lose sight of the fact that we were created for a purpose. A purpose that is part of a greater picture we might not even understand at this twenty-something inbetween stage of our lives. We have different qualities and quirks and they make us uniquely and individually beautiful. 

Embrace you. Embrace the fact that your hair curls at the ends and your thighs touch. Embrace the size of your waist and the number on the scale. Loving yourself is the most freeing and beautiful thing you can ever do. 

Because no one can be a better you. No one has been through the exact struggles that you have and no one can fulfill the plan of your life except you! At the end of the day all you have is yourself. When you lie down to go to sleep and your thoughts race, remind yourself that you are the person that you are for a reason. You are on this planet for a {u n i q u e} purpose and that is an amazing thing. Believe in yourself because you are more beautiful than you believe, smarter than you think, and stronger than you.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Summer Richardson; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Be-YOU-tiful

Everyone has something that they may not be confident about or some fear that keeps us up late at night. We are an imperfect people and there are always going to be things that we are self-conscious about. It could be that stutter that you get when you are nervous, the size of your feet, the inability to get in front of a crowd and speak with purpose. We are all imperfect, but that imperfection is humanizing.

Sometimes, we allow our fears and emotions to prevent us from seizing opportunities because we are lacking in confidence. We may be afraid to stand up and take charge in a situation because we are afraid of being talked about. We become complacent because we lack confidence.

It is important to remember that there are haters everywhere. You are never going to be able to please everyone. You may not have the perfect body, you may not have the perfect voice, you may not have the best athletic ability, but you are YOU and there is nothing that you can do about that.

You must take some stock in who you are. Whether you are quiet, nerdy, loud, funny, sarcastic, introverted, extroverted, or anywhere in between, OWN who you are. Be that person and be that person on a DAILY BASIS.

Recently, I got the opportunity to hear Erin Fischer speak at Panhellenic Academy. She was one of the opening speakers and she spoke on the topic of confidence. She shared with us some of her habits that she developed on her journey to being a more confident person. Here are some tips from the brave Ms. Fisher:

#1- Limit your limiting beliefs- Don’t let the fact that someone has told you that you are not good at something keep you from doing it. If you let go of those limits, you can change your behaviors.

#2-Build your reserve of resiliency-Failure is inevitable. You are going to fail, but the failure is not what it is important. What is important is that you have the strength and the courage to keep going even after you fail. Accept your failure, own in, and learn from it.

#3-Get real- Do not be afraid to ask for help. You are not a perfect person and you are going to need help at some point. Be real with yourself and realize when you need that assistance you can JUST ASK!

#4-Help others on their confidence journey- Sharing your talent not only benefits the person that you are helping, but you are going to find joy in sharing your talents.

#5-Identify your fears so you can increase your self-awareness- By knowing your fears and being aware of then, you can work on getting over those fears and gaining confidence in the face of those fears.

#6- You can learn a lot from the confidence of rock stars- Rock stars DO NOT CARE about the people who did not buy their tickets. They are only worried about the people who are bought their tickets and come to hear them play. Do not worry or lose sleep over the people who do not buy YOUR ticket. There are people who are in your corner. You should appreciate and “play” for the patrons that are behind you.

So, dance like no one is watching, sing your heart out in the shower, tell that corny joke, don’t let them put Baby in a corner! Be who you are and be as genuine as you can be and go into the world and BE CONFIDENT!

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Sarah Ann Keeter; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is...A Legacy

Leaving a place better than you found it is the opportunity of a lifetime, and being in a sorority has given me that amazing opportunity.

Like many others, I was hesitant about joining a sorority. I signed up for formal recruitment unsure of  what I was getting myself into. But, I soon came to find out that going through formal recruitment would be one of the best learning experiences I had ever had. I got to meet a diverse group of women in every chapter. I was able to learn what values they live by. They told me how much they loved their sisterhood, what their organization's national philanthropy was, and how much they loved being involved. It was breathtaking, because I would soon start my legacy in one of these wonderful chapters. Each one supported a great philanthropy and each one had a sisterhood that was complex and incredible. Finally, when it was time to run to my new home on bid day, I was scared. It was overwhelming that I would soon be meeting the women who would become my best friends.

My sorority has opened so many doors for me; it has given me opportunities I never thought I would have. As a freshman and a new member, I looked up to the women who were officers in the chapter and hoped to one day follow in their footsteps. Now, as a junior, being an officer has made a difference not only in my life, but also in the lives of 90 other women. I've had a myriad of opportunities to go to conventions and conferences to better myself as an officer, as a leader, and as a woman. I found that by being involved in my chapter I have already gotten so much out of it. Someone once told me, "you get out of it what you put into it." I carry that advice with me no matter what I am doing. To get the most out of your college experience, it's important to try and make a difference. 

People ask, "Why join a sorority?" I say, because these women are my shoulder to cry on. These women are my support system when things go wrong. These women are my future bridesmaids. They're my 3 A.M. laughs, and they're my best friends. These women are my source of truth. My sisters are the people I go to when anything of consequence happens in my life. My sisters are the people I'm making memories with - memories that will last a lifetime, and that is where my legacy begins.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Samantha Kolesar; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is...Accountability

On September 1st, 2014 my life changed for the better.

That was my Bid Day and that was when I gained 115 friends, sisters, and allies that would become my rock during the rough sea that we call “college." Going into recruitment, I knew that the sorority women called each other “sisters,” and I will admit that I was skeptical. I remember thinking, "Surely these women cannot all be best friends!" But, now I know just how wrong I was. I ran into the arms of my best friends and yes, my sisters.

I quickly became aware of the tight bond that my chapter has, and I, the friendly neighborhood introvert, was blessed enough to be able to tap into it. As a part of the new member program, the first wave of accountability came into light: study hours. At first I will admit I was annoyed. I am an honors student that cherishes her grades a little too much. So, why did I have to document that yes, I do study? The answer is simple: accountability. Now, I love that I have people watching out for me in this aspect of college life.

I also gained sisters in Christ.

I am religious. I love Jesus with all of my heart, soul, and might. It means everything to me that I can go to church services and always have someone that wants to go with me. I have women that will pray for me. I have sisters that know my battles as a woman and they fight those battles alongside me. That, to me, is huge. It is refreshing to have the kind of spiritual accountability that only my sisters can give me.

While joining a sorority was one of the scariest plunges that I have ever taken, I am forever thankful for these friendships, forged in love and accountability, forever.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Hannah Schrieber; Edited by UNA Panhellenic