I Will What I Want
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Under Armour through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Under Armour, all opinions are my own.
If you guys follow me via the newsletter or on Facebook, you already know that I’m in love with the Misty Copeland “I Will What I Want” Under Armour video. If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely worth a watch. The video features an adult Misty, gracefully dancing en pointe while a young voice reads the many reasons why she was rejected for a ballet program.
“You have the wrong body for ballet, and at 13, you’re too old to be considered.”
Misty spends the second half of the video fiercely blazing across the stage, demonstrating her reputation as one of the world’s most successful ballet soloists. She seems to be twirling the words of her critics into the ground.
I LOVE that this video not only showcases the athleticism in the dancing world, but also the fact that you can’t let the negative opinions of others control your destiny. It’s empowering without being cheesy, and gives me the chills every single time. Needless to say, I was honored when Under Armour presented me with this opportunity to share my own “I Will What I Want” story.
When I first married into the military lifestyle, I didn’t have an idea of what to expect. Even though I’m type A, I was happy to give up a lack of control to be with the love of my life. I was excited to travel around the world with him, build a life and family, and support him in his career. I quickly learned that our lifestyle would make my own career experience pretty unique.
As a military wife, it can be challenging to earn and keep a job; this was particularly apparent with my Finance degree. My employment opportunities out of college required the ability to stay in the same location to build my clientele, and I quickly learned that wouldn’t be possible with our constant moves and his deployment schedule.
Instead of letting this discourage and defeat me, I used this opportunity to recruit my creativity. My passions enabled me to create a job for myself as an instructor, trainer, blogger, and writer. Now, I’m able to take my work with me wherever we go, while keeping my roles as mom and wife as #1. It wasn’t easy and there were certainly some heartbreaks and learning curves along the way. Now, I can look back and be glad that I willed the type of life and job(s) that I’d be able to enjoy and take with us, and I’m thankful for that each day.
Now that we have a young daughter, I hope to be able to show that we have the ability control our destiny.
Use the negative opinions of others as your motivation to succeed.
Obstacles only stand in the way if we let them.
Here’s a video to share my story <3 (This is also my first video with my new San Diego videographer, Cameron Franco. He did an amazing job and I hope you enjoy it!)
I would love to hear your own experience with overcoming a challenge. What’s something that you “willed” into your life, even though the odds were against you or an obstacle stood in your way? As always, I can’t wait to read your responses.
xoxo
Gina
Check out Gisele’s latest social commentary video for Under Armour here:
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Absolutely love your video! Obstacles I’ve faced are not finding a job right out of college, and trying to pursue other things I enjoy, one of them being fitness. I decided to become a group fitness instructor and absolutely love it! It’s amazing when things don’t go exactly as planned what better things come out of it!
amen to that. thank you!!
I’ve seen that video too! Super inspiring and I’m so happy you shared two other videos. Do you think you could post motivational posts like these more often? 🙂
definitely!
I love this. The first video is amazing, and the one of you is so cute. I really admire you! For me, at the moment I’m working on willing a baby into my life. I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, so although it’s not necessarily impossible to get pregnant it is proving to be a challenge. I struggled with it at first, but I’m not going to let it stop me. I know that one day I will achieve my goal.
sending baby wishes to you <3
Aw, love it! Such a great clip!
Misty looks SO good in that ad – it’s incredible how athletically intensive dance is!
Amazing video lady! I absolutely loved it! It is very true that we make our own destinies. I had a serious injury 15 yrs ago that doctors told me I would never walk again. They were so wrong.
that is incredible.
I hadn’t seen the Gisele ad yet and to be honest it brought some tears to my eyes. Under armour is spot on these days. I need to keep these videos playing as I trudge my way through my last year of nursing school!
SO GOOD, right?? sending good wishes to you for your last year!
your video is amazing and gorgeous! love it! 🙂
thank you lovely friend!
You rock. What an amazing video!
I’ve been very impressed with the latest Under Armour ads under this campaign. I’ve been a big fan of Under Armour clothing for some time and love that the brand is becoming more popular with women. It must be hard to “go with the flow” and move around in the military life. I’ve shared some of that experience with you as I moved across the country for my husband’s job as well. It’s a beautiful thing that you’ve created a career that works for you! Awesome!
Loved your video Gina…and this post. You have such a positive spirit which def inspires me to be more positive and hopefully inspires many others. Keep at it…!
thank you so much erika, and thank you for reading <3
Your video is so inspiring and gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your life and passion with us 🙂
Your video is fabulous!
I don’t have any stories of my own. I’m really in transition right now – trying to write one! Thanks for being so inspiring, Gina. 🙂
Loved your video… what an important message to send your daughter 🙂
Gina, your video turned out SO good! Glad you were able to find a great videographer! 🙂 xoxo
ME TOO. thank you, friend xo
I didn’t know your college degree was in Financing! My biggest challenge so far has been self diagnosing a dairy allergy. After 10 years of health issues and medical staff that didn’t want to suggest diet changes, I finally figured it out myself. I still encounter people in the medical community that don’t believe me, but I’ve never felt better! And I’d never go back.
I also love, love the Under Armour video’s – and yours was so great too! Everyone has a story and we always are growing (or, I hope to always be growing). Thank you for sharing such positive and inspirational messages, daily!
thank you so much for reading!
Omg that video is beautiful! How wonderful to set such a good example for your daughter (and other woman!) 🙂 This might sounds weird, but you remind me a lot of my mother, who was also an Air Force wife…she took care of her family first and foremost, but also went back to school and found a career that she loved that could move with our family. My mom has moxie and strength, and I look up to her so much.
that is amazing. thank you so much <3
<3 <3
I’m a dietitian and my path to becoming a RD was never easy. Science has never been especially easy for me, so with a rigorous major that demanded a lot of challenging science coursework I had to really commit myself to what I wanted. After spending most of my senior year preparing for the assumption that I would have a dietetic internship after graduation, when I wasn’t matched with an internship the first time I was heart broken. Again, “I will what I want” and I worked hard to set up a distance internship within a short time frame of a week and a half. When I matched the second time, I knew it was because I deserved it and I was mentally stronger because of that experience. When I passed my RD exam a year later, it was the icing on the cake. I will what I want!
HECK YEAH. what a beautiful story of triumph
Loved, loved, loved your video Gina!! This ad is probably one of my favorite ever as a former dancer and someone who always feels that I need to overcome obstacles to “will what I want”. Similar to your story in that I turned my passions into a career, I became a trainer and instructor after I was laid off from my sales job 4 years ago- I’ve never looked back, never been happier, and can also focus 100% on my family first. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I feel like I willed it in a roundabout way 🙂
Omg I love your video!! Life is too short not to pursue and live a life you love. Good for you. <3
I don’t mind sponsored posts at all. Bloggers need to make something for their hard work. Rarely do I see a campaign that I think is really worth delving into. This one is. Your video, along with the other two cited in the post are fabulous, strong, and demonstrative of strength. What a great call on under armours’s part to work with you.
julia, this comment meant so much to me <3 thank you.
Your video gave me the chills Gina!! Girl Power!
*high five*
Loved your video Gina! So Inspiring! It strikes home for me in particular as my type A personality is being challenged as my Husband looks towards his next year of Med School sending him all around the country on rotations. Even more challenging is knowing that rotations will lead to us re-locating for residency somewhere that we don’t have full control over which requires me to find a new job and I’ve never lived outside of my home state of Iowa. Exciting and scary all at the same time! My type A personality is definitely being challenged, but it’s totally worth it!
As for my “I will what I want” story…all through elementary school onto high school I was never athletic. Didn’t play any sports because I thought I was terrible. Was the last one to complete the mile run my entire life and have never done a pull-up. I’ve now completed a half marathon and am a (new) CrossFit die hard and I’ve never felt faster or stronger. Currently working on that first pull-up, but I KNOW that I will get there!
you will!!
Love. This. Video. Oh my gosh, it was so well done, and so inspiring 🙂
I went through a particularly rough time in college. Without going into too much detail, I was going through some difficult circumstances and unexpectedly lost a lot of weight. I had a really thin frame, and experienced a lot of negative comments and harsh words thrown my way. One goal of mine since high school was to have an athletic muscular body, so instead of getting upset, I used everything that seemed to be going wrong in my life, and willed myself to use my energy to achieve my fitness goals. I began lifting weights and strength training, and many years later, I finally feel strong and confident. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story… I’ve been following you since the beginning of The Fitnessista, and I’ve loved every step of your journey that you’ve shared with us!
wow, thank you for reading for so long <3
and amazing job using that as motivation instead of defeat. xoxo
I’m in the process of willing what I want =)
I took a leap of faith, hung up my corporate world hate, and am pursuing my passion of health and nutrition in hopes of becoming an RD.
Love this message, thanks for sharing, you da best!
Hi there
I’ve been a long time reader of your blog, but really felt the need to bring some perspective to this latest post/video. I work in international development, I am a mom, and right now we live in a country where electricity is a luxury, there is not a single adequate medical facility, the roads are currently washed away, and the maternal/child mortality rate is one of the highest in the world. As ex-pats however, we are the lucky ones. My husband is from a developing country and I won’t even begin to go into the struggles his mother has had in her lifetime just to get her kids an education and put food on the table. So whilst I *get* that everyone suffers difficulties and hardships trying to balance motherhood, marriage and work, “obstacles” for the majority of the world’s female population include your child dying in your arms as a result of inadequate health services, staying home while your brothers are sent to school as you are not deemed ‘worthy’, forced marriage, genital mutilation….I think we all get the picture. Therefore in an attempt at balance, can we just take a moment to remember the millions of amazing, inspiring women across the world who are facing obstacles that we, as middle class westerners, cannot even begin to fathom.
i wholeheartedly agree. it’s huge reason why i remain grateful every day for the blessings we have, including the simple, yet invaluable, gifts that come from being born in this country: clean water, sewage, public education, access to medical care, etc. it breaks my heart to read and hear stories of humans all over the world enduring hardships that we could never imagine experiencing.
it’s important to remember that one person’s struggle is someone else’s cakewalk; it’s really all about perspective.
at the same time, i think there’s a balance of keeping that gratitude and perspective, while validating your unique situation and emotions. even though someone else may have it exponentially “harder” than you, it’s still ok to feel challenged/sad/defeated before making the choice to move on or initiate change (with the gratitude that we have the resources and ability to do so).
This. I agree with you Gina.
great video Gina. Thank you for sharing that with us. xo
thank you for reading/watching!
I loved this post – and I love Misty Copeland…as a ballet dork/lover, she is such an inspiration and has an amazing story. My “I Will What I Want” story is around me making the decision recently to quit my job and go back to school full time to pursue my passion for nutrition. For years, I let the thoughts of financial instability or failing at chemistry stand in my way as obstacles, but finally I realized that being happy in my career is very important to me and I bit the bullet and did it. Thanks for sharing – your video is amazing!!!
you are braver than i am 🙂 i considered going that for a long time, but the science reqs scared me away. you amazing <3
I have LOVED the video of Misty from the first time I saw it as well! And as a long time reader – who well remembers when that homecoming video was eagerly anticipated by all of us, I LOVE yours too! And I still think of you guys whenever I hear that Buble song 🙂 Well done Gina! I only wish you could have included your Fitnessista brand in it so those who see it other ways can find you and become readers like us!
You inspire as much as ever. Thank you. You make me think: What in my life needs a little more of my willing what I want? More action and focus and perseverance?
thank you for reading for so long 🙂
xoxo
Great video Gina!
Your video gave me goosebumps!
thank you! 🙂
Love your video! I am still figuring out what I want 🙂
What an inspiring video! Got a little teary eyed…amazing job 🙂
<3 thank you!
Love the video and your story, Gina! I’m on a similar mission to create the job that I want, so it’s nice to see someone else who was able to do it.
On a side note, it’s always so weird hearing your voice for some reason! lol
i always think it’s weird to hear other bloggers’ voices, too! it’s always different than what i imagine
I love this!!!! Great videography work, but especially, a great story.
thank you! love you friend (and owe ya an email)
Absolutely love your video, and hearing your story. I’m about the make that move with my military man in a couple of weeks, and it’s really nice to see that creating my own life is still possible. Thank you for sharing and for being such a positive and amazing example! 🙂
you will do it <3 thank you to you and your partner for your service
I LOVE Under Armour’s I WILL WHAT I WANT campaign. It is so strengthening and speaks to me as a distant runner in many ways. I can’t wait to watch your video! (I’m at work so my computer doesn’t have sound)
thank you! hope you enjoy it 🙂 xo
I love the I Will What I Want Campaign! How fun that you got to do a video for it!
I loved your story, Gina and I really love this campaign. Misty’s story is so incredible and I’m glad that Under Armour is highlighting amazing women like her. My “I Will What I Want” story includes overcome years of really serious depression and an eating disorder that forced me to postpone my last semester of college so I could spend over a year and not one, but two consecutive birthdays in a treatment center/hospital. I decided that I wasn’t going to give my life over to my anorexia so I worked hard in treatment, then went back to school to finish my thesis and graduate with honors. Right now I’m in the process of applying for a doctorate so I can one day become a therapist and work with suicidal patients. It’s my goal to also give free therapy to those who can’t afford it and to our soldiers returning from war, because I think it’s a crime that they don’t receive the best mental health care possible after giving up everything for our safety.
you are truly amazing.
reading this gave me the chills. i’m so very proud of you for taking control of your health and using your knowledge to help others.
You’re too kind. Thank you <3
Great video! I would say that I’m currently in the process of wiling what I want, after spending way too long meandering after things *other* people told me I *should* want. When I realized my passions are part of my purpose and not a distraction from it, it changed everything. Definitely know what you meant by heartache and tears along the way…but I’m confident it will all be worth it in the end!
it totally will <3
I seriously loved this movie so much. I watched it a few times!!!
ohh thank you friend!
Loved it! Definitely need to remember that “I will what I want”, not always an easy thing for me to remember to do.
i can be a helpful mantra for many things 🙂
Seriously – LOVED your video! I love this campaign so much. Each video is super inspiring!
thank you, trisha! 🙂
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love!
<3
I too was faced with a challenge when my husband was in the Coast Guard, like you, we moved so much and ended up in a very isolated part of the Oregon coast. After I was unsecsessful in finding any job in the teaching field, we started a family and had our now, 3 yr old son. After he served 4 yrs in the CG, we moved back to our beloved home city of San Diego, where I had to start over and as a stay-at-home mom. I began my small portrait photography business, which was a dream of mine, and was pretty sucsessful considering how new I was in the photography business. Then, due to the state of the economy, my husband was laid off from his job and we recently had to move to a new state for his job and i’m finding myself, once again, having to start over, which can feel overwheling at times.
I really enjoy your blog and admire you as a wife, mom and professional, Gina. Thanks for sharing your story!
hang in there, friend. <3 i hope everything settles for you soon.
thank you so much for reading. xoxo
Thank you! You’re welcome, I enjoy reading your blog!
Gina, I love the video! This is such a great campaign. I think one of my main obstacles has been struggling to find a passion that I could develop into a career. I was an actress briefly in my early 20s and then settled into corporate life which was never very fulfilling. I started my own blog recently and am thrilled to get to write about the things I love.
thank you so much! blogging is pretty amazing- happy to hear you’re enjoying it so much <3
This video/post could not have come at a better time for me. I recently married my Air Force man and I am having trouble finding a job with my degree in our new location. It is very encouraging to see a specific example of someone else overcoming the exact same trials and then EXCELLING (even though I know plenty of other spouses have done it, this was a great reminder/example). Thanks for sharing 🙂
Great video, Gina! I’m loving the Under Armour commercials.