On December 31st, 2020, Fred and Far reached an incredible milestone: our 10,000th order. That number represents much more than orders: it represents the foundation of our self love movement and global sisterhood—each member committing to the pivotal journey of self love and self care.
To celebrate this milestone, we wanted to showcase the story behind our 10,000th order. A story that actually began five years ago when Sarah Shahzada first joined the Fred and Far movement. Since then she has been an integral part of this community, and it was only fitting that she organically became our 10,000th order as well!
"Fire cannot kill a dragon."
We recently sat down with Sarah to hear more about the journey behind not only her recent order with us, but of her journey into self love which began with us back in 2017.
Thank you and congratulations for being Fred and Far's 10,000th order. You placed your first order back in 2017. How did you discover Fred and Far, and why did you want to join?
Thank you! I had a friend who shared her self love pinky ring and what meant for her on social media, and knew it would be a goal of mine to own one someday, when I was ready to commit myself to my health, my mind, and myself. A year and half later, I placed my first order.
How has wearing a Self Love Pinky Ring (and/or ME Ring) impacted you?
When I started following this movement, I had been struggling with PCOS for years, among other issues, and my physical health and self-worth were at an all time low. Somewhere in the fight to improve, I'd lost myself and I couldn't see the way forward. This movement, in conjunction with the Always More movement, sparked a new fire in me to fight for myself with love, instead of fighting with myself over things I had no control over and weren't ever actually my fault. Every day, my ring IS my reminder, to keep moving forward in love, to be gentle with myself and always kind. It has altered the way I think in regards to myself on an absolutely daily basis, in a way that I think is necessary for my health and hope.
When you were a child, what made you happiest?
The happiest memories I have from childhood (aside from birthday cake!), are from the time I spent outside romping around in nature. There was a beautiful nature reserve park near where I grew up, and I remember spending hours playing in the little creek, and walking the trails through towering trees. That's a thing I think we could all use more of in today's tech-absorbed daily.
What inspired you to do what you’re doing today (day job or side hustle or both!)?
Can it be "dream job"? My dream career is to be a writer. It's a thing I'm constantly working on mentally, and have most of my educational training in. I definitely haven't accomplished it yet, but I'm working on it. It's a bit of a struggle because of my vision, and the eye strain I'm unfortunately plagued with, but I will find a way to make it work. What inspires me to write, are the stories I've read and loved over the years. The ones that remind me to be brave, to keep going, and to never lose heart. I want to write something like that someday that means as much to someone else as these have meant to me.
Is there a roadblock you had to overcome to get where you are today? How did you do it?
I've had a lot of issues with my vision ever since I was born, and it's gotten ever more complicated as I've gotten older. It made college almost impossible for me towards the tail end of it. I got to a point where my eyes were so strained, that I couldn't even read my homework anymore. I was majoring in English, and Brit Lit II was the breaking point, physically. I overcame that really difficult semester by 1) asking for help. I couldn't do it by myself, and my mother ended up reading me multiple books that year, half that were in middle english (she was thrilled lol). Then 2) being patient with myself. I knew I was doing everything in my power, and I just had to accept that my body needed time to rest and moving a little slower was really okay.
When was the last time you had to be super brave?
This past year when things initially began shutting down completely. I had gotten really sick one week (unrelated to the virus), and doctor's offices were all closed. The only thing open were emergency centers, and where I live, we were being urged to stay out of them unless it was a matter of life or death, because if you went to one, you would unavoidably be exposed to the Coronavirus, and at the time we had no idea how survivable it might be. I made the decision to stay home ultimately because I didn't want to expose anyone in my house to it. It was a scary time, but I felt like it was the right decision, and eventually I emerged feeling like a full-blown warrior for weathering that storm on my own.
What does choosing yourself mean to you?
To me, it means choosing to see your worth, and to care for yourself because you deserve to be loved exactly as you are.
How do you practice self love and care on a daily/weekly or monthly basis?
I think my favorite way right now is by taking control of what I'm choosing to eat and how I nourish my body, which has been a pretty big learning curve this past year as I've been working on it. It plays a huge role in diminishing my PCOS symptoms, and helping me feel my best. Another way, is by getting outside. As much as I feel like I could just curl up and absolutely hibernate for the next three months, I know that getting out and even just going for a short meandering walk, will jumpstart my energy, and remind me how beautiful the world actually is. It's especially helpful if you're feeling that cooped-up quarantine cabin fever.
What is your advice to your 10, 18, 25, 30, 35 and 40-year-old self (pick three, as applicable)?
To 10-year-old me, I think I'd just say let those bangs grow out, girl. You're gonna have that side part you always wanted. Haha! And yes, eventually your little brother will grow out of getting on your nerves. I know it's hard to believe. To 18-year-old me, I'd have to say, you're really pretty. Stop worrying about it, and don't be scared to make the absolute most of the next few years. To 25-year-old me, I'd say just keep going. Things are going to change. You'll surprise yourself. Fire cannot kill a dragon.
What do you love most about yourself?
My capacity to hope, and that I will never give up. I've always felt like if I was a character in some great story, I'd be a Samwise Gamgee, or a Neville Longbottom. Never giving up, and being there to assist when someone else needs your strength, aren't glamorous jobs, but I don't think there's any other way I'd rather be. Not the shiny center of attention, by any means, but a heart of freakin' gold. What's better than that?
What is your message for our sisterhood?
If you're struggling, this is a place for you. You are not alone. Mel is incredible, and has such a great capacity to love and see each person within this community. I hope you know how much you matter, and I hope you find your own path to loving yourself right where you are.
And we at Fred and Far echo those sentiments through and through.
To connect with Sarah follow her journey on Instagram at @sarah_siren.
Want to learn more about our self love sisterhood? We invite you to join our Self Love Movement and experience the magic that choosing yourself will bring to your life, and into the lives of everyone around you, because self love fuels all love. And if you need a sparkling daily reminder to choose yourself by practicing self love and self care, make sure to check out the one and only Self Love Pinky Ring.
