Last September I launched the #SWEATADAYscholars program as an effort to come back to the real, tangible power and purpose of social media, which I felt was getting a bit lost. I wasn’t sure who, if anyone would apply or who, if anyone, would last until Spring participating daily.
I didn’t care.
I knew that if even one person completed it, it would be worth it. A scholarship for college would impact their journey and that was what mattered. I didn’t want to have to rely on anyone to make the scholarship go, so I just decided to launch it and fund it myself. And I’m so glad that I did.
The grand prize winner, Ms. Alivia Nace personifies what SWEATADAY is all about. Alivia started following SWEATADAY after her mom literally told her it would change her life. A few weeks in, she saw the scholarship announcement and, even though the thought of posting videos and photos of herself on instagram was mortifying to her, she decided to take a risk and go for it.
A week later she was blown away by the positive response she was getting. Her friends and followers were sincerely inspired by the commitment she was making to her own health and wellness. This simple act of participating in SWEATADAY started impacting just about every other facet of Alivia’s life. It even became a tool to help her combat depression and anxiety. Alivia kept it up, posting positive fitness content to social media for nine months, and the journey changed her life in more ways than one. I got to fly out to Georgia to surprise her and award her our first ever SWEATADAY Scholarship for $10,000. It was a moment I will never forget and I cannot wait to see how Alivia continues on her journey.
The SWEATADAY scholarship was designed to help people merge their passion for scholastics, love of fitness and commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Alivia could not have been a more perfect example of how small changes everyday can make a huge positive impact over time.
Follow her fitness journey as she embarks on her next chapter @prettyinfitt.