Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Spears.
Rebecca, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
New Haven, CT is the town I had my first memories at three years old. I was raised by my Mother, Grandmother, Aunts & Uncles. Lol, yes it does take a village and collective effort to raise a child. My grandmother was the alpha and omega of my immediate family. She taught and by example showed me where hard work and discipline could bring me. As a young child, I was quiet, I didn’t really talk much. I’d observe everything and everyone around me in detail. I learned what to do and what not to do by just sitting, observing, thinking, and processing. My favorite place to be was outside and my favorite thing to do was to build things, figuring out how mechanical things work. I have three sisters that I grew up with. It was four little girls “Toni’s Kids”, Lol. I was always the most happy when the sun was shining. I taught myself to ride a bike without training wheels at five years old, I’d carry the bike down and up two flights of stairs every time the sun was out. As a young child I’d feel lonely if I couldn’t be outside. It didn’t matter that I had three sisters to play with, I wanted out. My Mom and family provided me with skateboards, bikes, and all kinds of balls.
I came across basketball via my uncle. He gave me a basketball one day, I fell in love, Lol. Every waking hour, I wanted to play. I started playing organized basketball in junior high. My oldest sister and I would walk across the city of New Haven to attend school and for basketball practice and games. In the winter, it sucked because that walk was cold and dark. I did reasonably well academically because my oldest sister did well. I wanted to do good academically because I loved basketball and because I wanted to be like her.
Freshman year of high school, I met my high school basketball coach. I played varsity basketball as a freshman. Our team did very well. We had a great coach. She knew what it took to win. Freshman year, I traveled playing AUU basketball. First time flying, I boarded an airplane and it landed in Dallas, TX. I had never seen a bigger sky or brighter sun before going to Texas. Upon take-off to go back to Connecticut. I promised myself that I was going to come back and live my life in Dallas, TX.
After high school, I received a scholarship to a traditional junior college in Kansas. I attended the school for a semester. I thought to myself, this isn’t what I want to do with my life. I didn’t want to waste my time or the college time and their money. I went back home to Connecticut for a few months. Then I moved to Missouri. Hindsight moving out west was one of the top five best decisions I made. I was 18 when I moved to Missouri. I had a blast, I worked a lot, I ate a whole lot gaining 70lbs weight 312lbs for awhile lol. I met my best friends of almost 20 years to this day and I found aviation. I was living in Columbia, MO for 5 years prior to moving to Kansas City, MO to attend Aviation Institute of Maintenance. After two years, I graduated with a 3.4 GPA. I received my airframe & powerplant license and I was gainfully employed two weeks after testing for my license. I worked on KC135 military aircraft for a few years. I returned back to Connecticut signed on with Bombardier Aerospace in 2008. I immediately researched where Bombardier had other maintenance locations.
I saw that we had a maintenance facility in Dallas. I started to plan my escape. Yes it was an escape, Connecticut winters were cold, cloudy and long. 2012 I put a relocation transfer to Lovefield. Here I am, back in Dallas. This city has been really good to me. I’m able to do what I love. I found my future wife here in Dallas. I started two businesses “Awkward Citizen Collection” clothing line and I’m also a nutritional advisor BEEFNBARBELLS LLC Living in Dallas, TX as increased my quality of life not only financially, it also has had a major impact on my health. I started to really study and experiment with nutrition and nutrients. I had lost 120lbs prior to relocating back to Dallas. I started to ponder on my family history. My grandfather and father had died cancer. I told myself, that was going to do everything to not get cancer. I began to write on paper everything I did to lose the weight. I conducted test on not only my physical body but also my mental. I’d study and experiment with nutrients and how it could and will prevent cancer, how it impacted my thoughts, my moods, and my endurance. One of my best friends told me I should nutritional consulting.
With her help, I started BEEFNBARBELLS. I focus on the number of nutrients we need to consume each day to heal the body and to live a pain-free and truly healthy life. I focus on the importance of mental health and how with the right amount of nutrients each day can and will make a major impact on your mental health. So far, I’ve lost my grandmother, grandfather, father, mother, and two aunts to cancer. My goal is to live a longer and fuller life than my parents.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth ride, but it wasn’t necessarily a rough ride either. Yes, there were and still are struggles. But I’m in better control, in turn, I handle the struggles far better.
Please tell us about your work.
At BEEFNBARBELLS, I’m a nutritional advisor. I focus on the number of nutrients my clients need to consume each day to heal the body and to live a pain free and truly healthy life. I focus on the importance of mental health and how with the right amount of nutrients each day it can and will make major positive impacts on your physical and mental health. I’m most proud that BEEFNBARBELLS makes major impacts on an individual’s life using whole foods and time. I only take up to 4 clients at a time, because I need quality time. With each individual. This isn’t a cookie-cutter program or a one size fits all.
“Awkward Citizen Collection” clothing line. Expresses the freedom of being comfortable in your skin and clothing, being comfortable with going against the norm and standing on your truth. Create designs that allow the customer who is now the owner of the garment to stand confidently in their Awkwardness.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success is seeing the positive impact that I have on people’s lives. To me, success is motivating one person or an entire nation that yes they can be great! I look for people to contact me and say, I made this change in my life because I watched one of your video’s. To me, success is seeing a person wearing that Awkward Citizen hat and or shirt, not only looking great but feeling greater.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.awkwardcitizen.com
- Email: beefnbarbells@gmail.com
- Instagram: beefnbarbells
- Facebook: awkwardcitizen
Image Credit:
Rebecca Spears
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