nothing has ever mattered to me more ... Hey everyone, it's Victoria. I am the creator of sankalpa (if we haven't met yet). The inspiration behind this line marks a coming full circle for me personally, and for our brand. A practice near and dear to my heart is that of being radically transparent. As uncomfortable as vulnerability can be sometimes, I believe it is a necessary stepping stone in arriving to our power. And when we share candidly, we invite others in. This collection is an ode to a past version of myself, that lost touch with her power by orienting to external sources of validation. It was in searching outside myself, that I forgot how capable I was of influencing my inner world. I lost my agency, doubting my ability to trust my own `choices, and I forgot to believe in my "why". My mental health suffered greatly. I fought suicidal depression, social anxiety, and bulimia for over a decade of my early life. There where too many times where I came close to ending my life. Too scared to see that the moment, with all its possibility, was right in front of me. I know how many of you can relate to letting moments pass you by, and, so, this line is an honoring for all of us to restore presence within. My relationship with presence really began when I found meditation in my early twenties . The practice gave me the tools to orient my attention inwards. I then turned to neuroscience, with the hope of gaining a deeper understanding of my experience. I found validation in learning about the neurotransmitters and brain centers that must be online in order for the mind and body to self-regulate, feel good, and motivate healthy behavior from the inside out. Sankalpa arose from this. My desire was to reframe something we already love, jewelry, as a tool for anchoring into the present moment. Our first collection, The Naked Gem, was focused in creating a ritual of living each moment with intention. Each gemstone, symbolic of a value you hold, is strung on a simple thread, and designed to be worn until it fell off. The idea is to commit fully to honoring your "why", with the support of behavioral psychology and neuroscience backing the practice. As we focus on something with our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, we strengthen our neural pathways, solidifying intention within our being. Through the growth of this community, I've had the opportunity to witness the way in which awareness expands with intention. And because of the personal stories you've shared, I wake up every day and ask myself how I can evolve this brand for you. To keep holding your hand as you empower yourself into the next wave of growth. Over the years, the Naked Gem has supported our growth as a collective. Intentions we’ve worn and let fall off. Each gemstone representing a stepping stone into a new chapter of our lives. Stepping stones for us all to grow into our power. And with that, each moment they've fallen off has served as an invitation into the practice of non-attachment. What has come full circle for me in this process, is that while non-attachment allows us to let go of limiting narratives and embrace the flux of life, our presence stands the test of time. Our presence is that one sustainable source of our power that grounds us in the flux. This led me to create the power line. Presence is power. Presence allows for our mind and body to sync up, so that we can drop into the felt sense of our “why” in this world. And, neuroscience shows that this activates the centers of our brain (prefrontal cortex and limbic system) necessary to foster intrinsic motivation. If we don’t tap into presence, we do not light up the brain effectively to take our intentions into action. I designed this collection for you to own the unchanging foundation of who you are. Solid 14k gold is a representation of that truth. It's a leap from our original price point. And that's the beauty. It represents investing in ourselves, and solidifying our sense of innate value. The key is to feel your power. Agency marks a perception + a felt sense of our influence to make choices that matter to us. These are investment pieces . I invite you to view our jewelry is a technology of agency, a tool for plugging in to your most sustainable source of power.. Agency = Power (Presence) + Choice (Intention + Action).  This is for you. I really hope you love this. Reach out, share your "why" with me. I sincerely want to know.  With Love,  Victoria