You are #beyoutiful.

The following post is sponsored by Momentum Jewelry and Handful Activewear. I was given free product so that I might participate in the #beyoutiful campaign. All opinions are my own.

Today is National Love Your Body Day and I think all of you need to participate. You need to love your body because it's the only one you've got. Your body is uniquely you. That means there isn't a single body like it out there. How amazing is that? Only one you. So today, on this very special day, I need you to remind yourself that your body is #beyoutiful.

You may look in the mirror and see flaws. A belly button that sticks out. Hair that never stays in place. Fine lines around your eyes. A little extra padding around the hips. Whatever you see, look at it closely. I mean, really look. All of those imperfections, they're actually quite perfect.

They are uniquely you.
They are #beyoutiful.

We live in a world that tells us how to dress, talk, walk and live our lives. We live in a world that is filled with stereotypes and imagery that suggests what "perfect" is and does. And we live in a world that turns us into our own harshest critic. It's our nature to beat ourselves down because "perfect" exists and we need to be it.

Except "perfect" is not really what you think it is.

It's not models in a magazine.
It's not hair that stays in place.
It's not fat-free or extra small.

Perfect is you.
You are perfect.

And you need to believe that.

You need to believe me when I tell you that every imperfection you perceive when you look in the mirror is exactly what makes you perfect. Things don't make you perfect. Image and ideals don't make you perfect. You were born perfect because you were born to be YOU. And remember: There is only one you, so treat yourself with respect.

Show the world that you are #beyoutiful. Be a beacon of positivity because this world we live in—it needs all of the positivity it can get. Spread love, start with yourself. When you love yourself, everyone else around you will pick up on that. And you never know who will be inspired to believe in themselves because of you.

You are #beyoutiful, friend.
It really truly shows.

In your strength...
In your beliefs...
In your smile...

...in everything that is you, including your body.
And it's time you proclaimed that news to the world.

Download your free poster and join me on Instagram. Tag @momentumjewelry and @handfulactivewear, and help us show everyone everywhere what "perfect" really looks like.

Question: What makes you #beyoutiful?

What I've been up to...

Last time I wrote a post like this, I started it by saying something to the effect of "I have two jobs and I am busy." And so, that hasn't really changed, except now I have three jobs. How do I manage three jobs? At the expense of Daily Dose, apparently. But in all honesty, I manage it just fine. Life is crazy, it's always going to be, so I am embracing it all and taking each day as it comes. I love all of my jobs, and I love my family, too. So it's worth it. All of the hustle and bustle of our daily routines is absolutely worth it. Let me fill you in. Here's what I've been up to (in case you've been wondering):

1) I'm the new blog editor for Momentum Jewelry. 
I absolutely love this company. My collection of motivational wrist wraps is out of control! I've been an ambassador for a few years now, and proudly support what Amy and her team are doing.

I am also a part of that team now! I met Amy at IDEA World this Summer and we started talking about the blog on her website. Long story short, she asked me to help her grow it and I couldn't say no. Momentum blog editor, at your service. In addition to writing a few posts here and there, I've been curating content from some pretty awesome voices. We're getting ready to launch the BEYOUtiful campaign, which ties in to National Love Your Body Day. It's all going down on Wednesday, October 18th. You must check out the Momentum blog for some inspirational posts gearing up to the big day.

2) I'm running a half marathon on Sunday. 
What's a year without at least one half marathon?! I signed up this Summer after the Ironman 70.3 Steelhead rolled through town. I haven't been racing much this year, and all of the athletes inspired me to get my butt into gear for at least one half marathon. My training has been going well, and I'm really hoping for some cooler temps on Sunday. We've had such an unseasonably hot Fall up here in Michigan. The goal: Cross the finish in under two hours. I'm feeling good about it.

3) We renamed the running store.
When we took over the running store in the Spring, we were tasked with breathing new life into the place. We've been working really hard to bring in a few new brands, get out into the community, and bring back some of the customers that lost faith in the place. So we decided that a new name would reflect our new approach. And we've spent the last few weeks putting that into place. It went live last  Monday and the response has been overwhelming.

4) I'm studying to be an ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist.

As an ACE-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, I can't say enough about this organization. Over the summer, they offered me the ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification materials in exchange for an open and honest review. I'm currently working my way through it, and you'll hear more about it moving forward.

Speaking of books:

5) I can't stop reading the Outlander books.
You guys. This series is just so good and I'm only a few chapters into the second book.

A post shared by Tara (@adailydoseoffit) on Oct 9, 2017 at 10:21am PDT

I've picked them up and put them down a million times at the library, but finally decided to roll with the first book. It's a television show now, and everyone is raving about it. I'm a stickler for reading the book first, so that's what I've been doing. This also means that I've been doing my best to provide myself with some extra "me" time. I haven't been very good at that these past few months. There are a ton of books in this series, so I hope they'll help me keep the "me" time flowing.

Question: What's one thing you've been doing lately or working hard on or generally just enjoying?