On February 11th, seniors Jenn Konjoian and Kayla Clogston launched a movement here at UMass Amherst in hopes to encourage the community to share their mindfulness, positivity and gratitude in every day life. The movement has taken form as a Facebook group, UMass Finds The Good In Everyday, where other seniors from the Fitness/Wellness team at the Recreation Center manage the page alongside Jenn and Kayla.
The Facebook page allows for members of the UMass community to post personal pictures, stories or simply comments about things that make them smile every day. One student posted a picture of buffalo chicken and mashed potatoes, because food makes everyone smile! Posts can be made on any social media platforms in addition to Facebook using the hashtags #mindfulnessatumass and #findthegoodineveryday. Some of the stories feature hardworking students sharing their accomplishments, such as getting into a competitive law school. These types of stories are meant to inspire others to pursue their dreams despite the hardships they may face along the journey to success.
As fitness instructors, both Jenn and Kayla’s job allows them to positively impact their fellow students both mentally and physically. This movement grew out of a passion for spreading this type of energy after having their own defining moments in terms of becoming more mindful people.
Jenn acknowledges that she has always been a positive person, but her smile has grown a little bigger since transferring to UMass. She considers this school her “happy place” and wishes to help others gain that same perspective. She attributes her upbeat attitude with the community here, saying, “I began surrounding myself with extremely down to earth, loving, and energetic people. That is when I realized how grateful I really am to be here. It’s mostly about the people.” For Kayla, she began to fully appreciate life while abroad in Barcelona after having worked extremely hard to finance her travels. The experiences she had were all written down in a journal and the opportunity helped her take notice of every smell, sight, sound, and feeling she was having at each moment. The importance of mindfulness in everyday situations became that much more apparent to her after exploring a different country.
Both Jenn and Kayla hope their idea will promote mindfulness in a world that is often overcome with the anxiety or stress of everyday life. In being more mindful, they believe people can grow more aware and appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us, creating an environment of good vibes. As a senior in her final semester, Jenn hopes to leave behind the virtue of positivity through this movement. She says, “There are dozens of things about UMass that I’m grateful for, and life itself. Why not share it? Why not inspire others to do the same? That was my ultimate goal.”
Although the group centers on the UMass community, the mentality behind such is meant to expand beyond campus and into all aspects of one’s life. The group encourages people to surround themselves with positive energy while learning to appreciate the countless reasons you should smile every day. After all, in the words of Kayla Clogston, “What is more important in life than being happy?”
So, get involved and get happy, Collegiettes!
All photos courtesy of Jenn Konjoian.